Resumo:
This research analyzes, from a critical and decolonial perspective, the role of digital investigative
journalism in the construction of a radical and participatory democracy in South America, with
broader implications for the entire Global South. It is based on the understanding that colonization
imposed institutional and epistemological models on invaded countries that were alien to their own
realities. However, the advancement of digital technologies enables the emergence of tools and
institutions capable of confronting this colonial legacy, fostering new possibilities for civic oversight
of the state, led by activist collectives and independent media outlets.
Throughout the study, it is argued that the classical tension between regulation and emancipation
can be redefined within the context of the networked society. Regulation, traditionally monopolized
by the state, also becomes an instrument exercised by civil society, expanding mechanisms for
monitoring public administration and reinforcing democratic practices. To support its arguments, the
research analyzes the production of the Centro de Jornalismo Investigativo Agência Pública,
founded in 2011 in Brazil by women journalists. This non-profit organization employs methodologies
based on open data, in-depth investigations, and the collaborative dissemination of content through
Creative Commons licenses. Its model broadens the reach and impact of investigative reporting,
strengthening collaborative networks and fostering accountability practices.
The study concludes that, by critically appropriating contemporary technologies, countries of the
Global South can promote a decolonial turn, grounded in the valorization of their historical and
cultural specificities, forging a transparent state that is responsive to popular demands. In this
context, digital investigative journalism emerges as a fundamental instrument of public mediation,
enhancing citizen participation and contributing to the formation of a decolonial state committed to
expanding radical and participatory democracy.
