The Fifth Power in Crisis: Media, Politics, and the Deception of Democracy

By: Rodolfo Varela

 For decades, the media was referred to as the “fifth power.” This expression recognized its capacity to oversee the other powers of the State — executive, legislative, and judicial — as well as the influence of the church, defending public interest with independence, ethics, and truth.

What is the meaning of the scales?

But today, that role seems distorted. The press that once reported with objectivity has bowed to partisan and economic pressures. Once guardians of democracy, many media outlets have become propaganda showcases, distorting reality, manipulating public opinion, and keeping people in ignorance.

When information becomes a weapon

The gravest problem is that many media no longer seek to inform — they aim to shape thought according to ideological agendas. Editorial lines are subordinated to political power or financial interest. Balance and plurality have been lost, along with journalism’s most sacred duty: to tell the truth without political colors.

And without truth, democracy cannot exist. A misinformed population becomes an easy target for empty speeches, false promises, and authoritarian regimes that claim to act in the name of the common good.

The magical word “democracy”: a mask for deception

Both the right and the left have used the word “democracy” as a hollow label to justify their interests, even when their actions directly contradict democratic values.

 

The right and authoritarianism disguised as order

Latin America’s recent history shows that when the right feels its power is threatened, it often resorts to fear, violence, and repression. They promise freedom but respond with coups, censorship, torture, and disappearances. During the military dictatorships in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, even children were kidnapped and sold to foreign families. Later, these regimes washed their hands, blaming the left.

Worse still, many media outlets played a complicit role.

• In Chile, El Mercurio supported the 1973 coup and concealed Pinochet’s crimes.

• In Argentina, newspapers like Clarín and La Nación remained silent about forced disappearances and repeated official lies.

• In Brazil, Globo broadcast military parades as if they were civic celebrations, legitimizing the authoritarian regime.

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The authoritarian left: promises of equality turned into repression

On the other side, several self-declared progressive governments have used the rhetoric of social justice to consolidate power and silence dissent. Instead of liberating, they oppress. Instead of empowering the people, they entrap them with populism, poverty, and fear.

• In Venezuela, over 100 independent outlets have been shut down. Maduro’s government tightly controls all national broadcast media.

• In Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega raided newsrooms, imprisoned journalists, and confiscated the offices of La Prensa.

• In Cuba, the press is entirely state-controlled. Independent journalists, like those from 14ymedio, face prison or forced exile.

These regimes call themselves democratic, but use congresses to pass laws that benefit themselves, judicial systems to imprison dissenters, and religious narratives to justify authoritarianism. Like the right, they rely on state-aligned media to broadcast their single version of truth.

Brazil today: growing discontent, respectfully acknowledged

Currently, Brazil is experiencing a wave of growing popular dissatisfaction, especially among those who once believed in a fairer, more democratic, and people-oriented government. While respect for institutions — including the judiciary and elected officials — must always be preserved, the widespread frustration cannot be ignored. It’s visible in protests, social media, and public sentiment.

Many Brazilians feel that the promises made by President Lula’s government have not led to real improvements, and that the country remains trapped in a political agenda disconnected from everyday realities — workers struggling to survive, youth without opportunities, retirees living with insufficient pensions, small business owners overwhelmed by taxes.

This is not about attacking individuals, but about listening to the voice of a population that feels forgotten and betrayed. Democracy requires self-criticism, transparency, and coherence. And the press — as the fifth power — must reflect this sentiment honestly and without fear.

IN THE SCALES OF JUSTICE, THE PLATE IS LOADED

Honest politicians punished for standing with the people

Amid this bleak scenario, there are still honest figures who have been punished simply for acting with ethics and social responsibility, regardless of party affiliation.

• In Brazil, former judge and minister Sergio Moro was politically attacked after exposing corruption in Operation Lava Jato.

• In Guatemala, former Attorney General Thelma Aldana was forced into exile after taking on powerful mafia networks.

• In Chile, figures like Alejandro Navarro were sidelined for opposing power pacts and defending uncomfortable social causes.

The real struggle is not left vs. right — it is integrity vs. corruption

The underlying battle is not ideological. It’s not about left or right. The real divide is between those who serve the people and those who serve themselves. Between those who use power to transform, and those who use it to enrich themselves, repress others, and lie.

The press, as the “fifth power,” must recover its moral independence and return to its role as a public service. It must stop being a partisan weapon and become a beacon of truth, capable of confronting power with courage and honesty.

Now more than ever, we need journalism without flags — one that defends truth, exposes corruption, gives voice to the silenced, and protects democracy for all, not just the few.

Because without free information, there is no freedom. And without freedom, there is no democracy.