The Inter–American Court of Human Rights, established almost thirty years ago, has had the opportunity to interpret many elements of the 1969 American Convention on Human Rights, as well as other instruments that confer it jurisdiction. Among the topics analyzed by the Court figures freedom of speech, recognized in Article 13 of the American Convention1. The present article considers the Inter–American Court criteria in different decisions: an advisory opinion, among the first of its kind and numerous contentious cases.