Amnesty International warns about democratic deterioration in Puerto Rico

Executive director of Amnesty International Puerto Rico Liza Gallardo Martín.

By THE STAR STAFF

Amnesty International is sounding the alarm over what it describes as a “clear pattern of democratic deterioration” in Puerto Rico, citing a series of legislative and executive actions that it says restrict public oversight, weaken civil liberties, and shrink the island’s civic space.

“These are not isolated incidents; they are warning signs,” said Liza Gallardo Martín, executive director of Amnesty International Puerto Rico. “When a government legislates to hide information, make justice more expensive, and surveil those who protest, what’s at stake is the right of an entire people to participate and hold power to account.”

At the center of Amnesty’s critique is Law 156‑2025, which expands the time agencies have to respond to public records requests, adds new bureaucratic hurdles, and allows information to be classified as confidential with limited external oversight.

Gallardo Martín argued that the measure undermines transparency and directly affects journalists’ ability to scrutinize government actions. She also criticized what she described as a growing normalization of hostility toward the press, including state‑controlled credentialing requirements for media access.

The organization also highlighted what it called a “fabrication of enemies” through discriminatory laws. Among them: Religious Liberty Law, which Amnesty says could enable denial of services based on personal beliefs;  Law 63‑2025, banning gender‑affirming care, and Law 26‑2026, restricting access to inclusive bathrooms.

According to Amnesty, these measures reinforce stigma against LGBTIQ+ people and legitimize narratives portraying marginalized groups as threats.

Maritza Maymí Hernández, a researcher with Amnesty International Puerto Rico, raised concerns about Law 82‑2026, which requires challengers of construction permits to post a bond equal to 10% of a project’s value.

“This turns environmental justice into a privilege reserved for those with significant financial resources,” she said, warning that entire communities could be left without meaningful tools to defend their health and natural resources.

Amnesty also criticized Law 64‑2025, which gives the Secretary of the Treasury broad discretion to grant or deny tax exemptions to nonprofit organizations. The group warned that such power could be used to pressure or punish community, environmental, journalistic, or human rights organizations that scrutinize the government.

The report further denounces the use of advanced surveillance technologies against protesters, citing the installation of cameras with facial recognition, audio capture, and night vision in Rincón during environmental demonstrations at the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve. Amnesty argues that 24/7 monitoring of activists under the pretext of protecting heavy machinery sends an intimidating message to those exercising their right to peaceful protest.

Gallardo Martín also expressed concern over collaboration between local police and federal immigration agencies, including ICE, in operations affecting Dominican and Haitian communities. Amnesty says these interventions have involved racial profiling, warrantless detentions, and practices that discourage victims of crimes—including domestic violence—from seeking help.