"Democracy dies in the darkness" is the slogan The Washington Post decided to publish beneath its online headline in February 2017, a year after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. Trump, as we know, often referred to the media as "crooked," "dishonest," "being an enemy of the American people", and so many other negative adjectives. He labeled the media's work as "fake news."

The Post came out to explain the slogan was not about Trump. Instead, it had more to do with a phrase Jeff Bezos had used to explain why he had bought the newspaper, "I think a lot of us believe this, that democracy dies in darkness, that certain institutions have a vital role in making sure that there is light."

The story of the slogan goes back to the Nixon presidency, but here I will leave it at that. It is a powerful slogan, and its words remain true. At this moment, many countries, not only the United States, are facing a threat to democracy and a regression in their institutions. Freedom of the press and trust in media are being tested in this democratic erosion. This is occurring in the United States, but also, and more profoundly, in Mexico.

Media is known as the fourth branch, behind the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. It is the link between political power and the ordinary citizen. It is the tool that allows a further check on power. The way in which it is possible to know how public money is spent. Media can be an additional obstacle to discretionary spending by politicians who sometimes seem to confuse public money with their personal spending bag, and it can keep politicians accountable for what they promise to deliver. Investigative journalism is essential for holding government officials, public servants, and corporations accountable for their actions. High-profile cases, such as the exposure of corruption scandals, have demonstrated the media's role in promoting transparency and accountability in the country.

But when power wants to avoid the checks that media represents, the playbook is clear: delegitimize, confuse what is true and what isn't, and attempt to generate distrust. This playbook is what we experience in Mexico now and ever since Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected president.

Every morning for the past five years, López Obrador has held a Press Conference, sometimes lasting more than three hours, where his message has been the same. He says he is the voice of 'the people,' and any person, institution, or private entity that does not align with his wishes is signaled as his adversary. One of the main targets of the President has been the media.

Every president since Mexico's nascent democracy, starting with the PRI's loss of Mexico City and a majority in Congress in 1994, has had to act under the media's scrutiny. AMLO has been the exception. He has placed and sometimes financed new 'journalists' in front-row seats at his daily Mañaneras. Their role is not to question power but to worship him.

For traditional media and NGOs that scrutinize AMLO's government, the president has a weekly section called "Who is Who in the Lies," where he signals as fake news anything that doesn’t, please him. He also uses this space to attack journalists—even when Mexico has one of the highest murder rates for journalists. In 2022, only Ukraine, a country at war, surpassed journalist killings in Mexico. This occurs in a landscape of complete impunity.

Whenever a journalist is assassinated, AMLO barely acknowledges it in his Mañanera. On the contrary, his attacks towards journalists have not ceased in this worrying environment. More than a year ago, AMLO said that tuning in to journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva's program could cause its audience to have a brain tumor. The night after he said this, the car Gomez Leyva was driving home from his late-night news program was shot numerous times. Because the vehicle was armored, his life was spared. Until now, his attempted murder remains unpunished, and the investigations haven't answered who wanted him dead or why.

The sheer scale of these murders and violence indicates that press freedom–which we have only recently earned while building democracy in Mexico– is under threat.

To add fuel to the fire, the media's role in Mexico's democracy will surely face additional threats in the upcoming 2024 presidential elections. Its trustworthiness will be tested in a scenario where deep fakes created with AI may be a tempting tool used with political motivations. This is a challenge we will face in Mexico and in all of North America.

Also, for some politicians in the United States, Mexico has become a useful 'piñata', mixing narratives on the national opioid epidemic with migration and security at the border. An example is the way Mexico is portrayed by certain U.S. media as the country responsible for the many overdose deaths in the U.S.

Media conglomerates and journalists in North America must be ready to face further attacks by 21st-century tools like social media, AI, and the speed at which falsehoods and misinformation spread. This will be a daily challenge in the upcoming concurring elections. By now, we understand that the truth is barely tying its shoelaces by the time fake news has finished the race and spread worldwide.

In confronting the challenges posed to media and democracy in the region, it is imperative to consider steps that can be taken that resonate with the urgency of the situation and bring light to places where darkness prevails. First, citizens need to understand and value the role that the media has in holding governments accountable. This can be done through media learning initiatives in school curricula and launched as widespread public awareness campaigns. The goal is to arm citizens with the tools they need to scrutinize information sources critically, distinguish genuine journalism from fabricated narratives, and appreciate the role of an independent press. In doing so, we can strengthen our society against the corrosive influence of false information and disinformation.

Second, cultivating international collaborations among media organizations cannot be understated. In a climate where press freedom is under siege, media outlets in Mexico, the United States, and Canada should forge alliances to share resources and best practices and exchange vital information that can support journalism's resilience. Collaborative investigative efforts have the potential to reveal corruption and misconduct, thereby ensuring that accountability remains a foundational pillar of democracy. Furthermore, international media coalitions can continue to amplify the voices of journalists and publications targeted by political leaders, offering protection and solidarity when confronted.

Finally, technology giants must step into the game proactively to curb the creation of false narratives. Social media platforms should act by implementing fact-checking mechanisms and recalibrating algorithms to mitigate the viral spread of misinformation. At the same time, governments must enact legislation to reduce the dissemination of disinformation, compelling tech companies to operate transparent content moderation practices. In uniting efforts and confronting these challenges head-on, we can collectively safeguard democracy's indispensable guardian, ensuring that "democracy dies in the darkness" remains a mere slogan rather than a grim reality.