{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/6t0gt5gd7t/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Idelfonso Ortiz"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/038/original/university-libraries-logo-2x.png?1711560609","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright The Arizona Board of Regents.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eThe Celeste Gonzalez de Bustamante and Jeannine E. Relly Oral History Collection interview 51\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Identifier"]},"value":{"en":["MS533.051 (uid)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["University of Arizona Libraries"]}},{"label":{"en":["Relation"]},"value":{"en":["Documented Border collection (part of)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2014-06-26 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["interview"]}},{"label":{"en":["Coverage"]},"value":{"en":["Mexico","temporal; 21st Century"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Censorship--Mexico--History--21st century","Freedom of the press--Mexico--History--21st century","Human rights--Mexico","Journalism--Mexico--21st century","Journalists--Mexico--Crimes against","Women journalists--Mexico"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["The Celeste Gonzalez de Bustamante and Jeannine E. Relly Oral History Collection, MS 533"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Gonzalez de Bustamante, Celeste (interviewer)","Ortiz, Idelfonso (interviewee)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["audio"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eThe Celeste Gonzalez de Bustamante and Jeannine E. Relly Oral History Collection interview 51\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright The Arizona Board of Regents.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["University of Arizona Libraries"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["University of Arizona Libraries"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/038/original/university-libraries-logo-2x.png?1711560609","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - azu_ms533_051_a.mp3"]},"duration":2279.016,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-arizona.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/174/694/original/azu_ms533_051_a.mp3?1676506034","type":"Audio","format":"audio/mpeg","duration":2279.016,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Idelfonso Ortiz transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"SUMMARY KEYWORDS\n\nreporting, mexico, reporters, area, journalists, people, border, byline, brownsville, bodies, gulf cartel, press release, difficult, cartel, nature, journalism, cover, city, crime, local","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=2279.0,3600.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, thank you so much for doing this interview. We're, what did you did just tell us your name and your occupation and where you know where you're where you're reporting,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3600.0,3610.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"please. My name is Ilya Fong sorties. I'm a reporter with the monitor newspaper. Prior to that, I was a reporter with the Brownsville Herald cover, South Texas and the northern part of Tamaulipas.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3610.0,3623.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Great, thank you. If you could tell us a little bit about your education and your age.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3623.0,3630.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I am 33 years old. I have a business degree from University of Texas at Brownsville. As far as journalism, I pretty much been trained on the job.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3630.0,3644.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And how many years have you practiced journalism?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3644.0,3648.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Most recently, since 2008, up until the present time, I also had a stint from 2004 to 2005. And prior to that, since 99, I was at this college newspaper.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3648.0,3664.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Thank you up can you give us a sense of you know, you've reported along the border lived along the border for a long time gate Bruce, sort of wanting to look at projects, part of this project is called documenting the border. Wondering about your your sense of reporting along the border and how it may have changed in the time that you've you've known it from a reporting journalist standpoint.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3664.0,3691.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I'm not too clear on the question. Okay. I can try to one of the things that in the past when I was doing cartel related stories, I, for a period of time, I was not putting a name to my story. So I was going without a byline. That has changed now. Prior on 2011, I began, you know, putting my byline to everything. Just to add a sense of more transparency, because it seems that in the certain school of journalism, thought they it wasn't, you know, accepted to have a no byline. And pretty much they said, Well, we can deal with unnamed sources, but the byline tended to be an issue. So basically, to protect my sources, and I said, Well, fine. I'll leave my sources on name, but I'll put my name do to everything.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3691.0,3747.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Can you tell us a little bit about how you think of reporting here, either reporting along the border in this area, or, or how reporting is received, locally, or nationally or internationally, maybe different here than in other parts of the US from what you have gathered, because you there have been some pretty serious investigations that you've done?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3747.0,3772.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, in the in this area, on the Mexican side, there's really no independent journalism. Most of the issues related to public security and safety, come from press releases, you, unlike other parts of Mexico, where there is, you know, legitimate investigative journalism in Tamaulipas, there isn't everything is sourced to a press release. That is where journalists on the American side, you know, have done some research in that. But then again, that is very limited. In the Rio Grande Valley, where we're at. A lot of the local outlets will not cross into Mexico. So that kind of ties your hands as to what they can do. A lot of them have relied on social media to reach out to people in Mexico, which raises other questions, but the reporting on this site has been very hampered compared to other areas like such as in Tijuana, or in white is where there is a large pool of journalists ready to cover those areas over here. I mean, in Tamaulipas, there, we really have not had on the Mexican side independent journalists or walls that are well, or very few that will actually do independent reporting in there.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3772.0,3855.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And that would be journalists from either US Mexico or other countries that that go in and do reporting on the northern side of the border.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3855.0,3864.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"When it comes to the northern side. I mean, we'll have a times some journalists will go into the area, but it's not a constant reporting. Constantly reporting on the issues in the area, which for example, with when it comes to shoot out, Max, the state government has been known to underreport the number of casualties and victims. Having personally been in a in the middle of a few of those in one particular shoot out in total 1013 There were I personally saw seven bodies. Yet, when the official report from the states that it was two bystanders that had been killed by a bullet, and I mean, in the people in the body that I thought were actually gunman in vehicles that were on fire. And, you know, a very gruesome crime scenes that the state never acknowledged.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3864.0,3931.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"That's helpful. And then I also suspect I know you've you've covered a lot of issues that on the north side of the border that have not gotten attention from other news organizations. I don't know if you care to talk about that a little bit. And why you think well, a little bit about that would be great. Sure.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3931.0,3950.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Most recently, well, since 2012, we have been looking into the Otago County Sheriff's Office. The a few months ago, the sheriff was convicted for money laundering. One of his commanders was also convicted on the same charge, his chief of staff was convicted also related to that, in regards to taking money from a very large drug trafficker. And the money was going to campaigns and that sort of stuff. The sheriff son was in charge of a drug unit. That drug that entire drug unit was stealing drugs from drug traffickers in the US and selling them to rival drug dealers. That drug unit was actually also working with their Crimestoppers program. So you had various it was a very ingrained corruption within the entire sheriff's department and mission police that outside of the Rio Grande Valley, very few people learned about this case. Similar like to that we've had other issues, such as in the city of progress, or the mayor, the superintendent, and members of the school board, were all convicted for a bribery scheme. They were all from the same family, and they control the city. They all just pleaded guilty to taking bribes. And racketeering is, again, it's one of those we're out of the valley, nobody really knows about those stories.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=3950.0,4050.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"If you could tell us a little bit about how covering this part of the border, both sides is is different than maybe reporting in other parts of the US. So maybe the focus here about how it may be different, and some of the challenges that you face and doing your reporting?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4050.0,4071.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, um, when when it goes to Mexico, it's different, because there's inherent risks, the risks that come without writing about cartels, having to go into Mexico, or writing about them. On this side, we've had several cartel leaders that have been arrested in the US living in the middle to higher income residential areas, where they their families are here, and they go work in Mexico. So you have that always in the back of your mind when you're writing about these guys, that they they've been here for a long time. As far as with with public corruption issues, I mean, because their local media, including the newspapers, at times tend to focus a lot on the day to day breaking news. There's a lot of public corruption that is readily. I mean, you can just see it, and it's, but there's a lot of there's a they lack transparency in the local cities and the municipalities. So with the the guys within industry, bringing down the sizes of newspapers, and TV stations, it's getting more difficult to have somebody constantly doing the Public Information requests and things of that nature, to bring out that transparency. And a lot of times local municipalities, you'll slap them with a Freedom of Information request, and they may not even know what that is.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4071.0,4171.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Do you use public records requests for on the federal and state levels?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4171.0,4176.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Yes, we use that quite extensively. That some of the bigger cities and departments you know, are easy to work with when it comes to that. Then again, some of the federal agencies are quite difficult to work with. Most recently Border Patrol, they've just closed themselves off to media. That's kind of quite difficult to work with when it comes to getting even daily. For more information about daily events, it's getting difficult from them. So that's pretty much. Yeah, we use a public information request on a daily basis.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4176.0,4213.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Thank you. Maybe you could talk a little bit about this environment, this border environment reporting on both sides. And whether we were sort of looking at gender, whether you think it would be easier, more easier or more difficult or, or just about the same if you are male or female, in terms of access?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4213.0,4235.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, we've had successful reporters both being male and female. There is a lot of machismo in the area. So male reporter will tend to get easier access with a sourcing. And, you know, they'll they develop a sense of compadres, more here. So they're likely to start sharing information easier with a male reporter than with a female with a female thereby. You know, it's a little bit different. There may be innuendos, things of that nature. But when with males report, male reporters, it's a lot easier because they're, if they like you, people will start telling you things right off the bat.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4235.0,4284.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And are you see, would you say it's the same in in Mexico as well,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4284.0,4288.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"it is very similar to the way it works in Mexico In Mexico, male reporters will they have easier time accessing information versus a female reporter?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4288.0,4298.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"We also have been, you know, we're very aware of, of, you know, reporters along the border, many of them have seen very, you know, serious crime scenes, and have been exposed to very difficult things to related to humanity. And so we're asking everyone, you know, how how, how have you? How has that affected you? If it has it affected you in your daily life or with your work?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4298.0,4330.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, that's a difficult question. But you know, when you're covering, you know, organized crime, things of that nature, you know, you sometimes need to be extra aware when you go home, you know, you keep an eye on things. When you're out with your family, you might keep an eye out for tattoos for certain gangs, things of that nature. I mean, as a matter of fact, they wrote about a gentleman, who was a member of the Zetas. Gulf Cartel then returned to the Zetas. He was arrested in the USA recovered his trial. Two years later, when he got out of jail, I bumped into my jacket, Jesus. Those are the kinds of things that you're aware of when you're in, in this line of work. Then again, with the Gulf Cartel on the set is going to war, just south of our border, the crime scenes have gotten a lot worse. In a major city, say La a reporter will see bodies on a regular basis, things of that nature. Here you're seeing head split open. bodies that were scanned. bodies that have been dipped in acid, things of that nature. And if that wasn't enough, with the right sourcing, you'll get leaked videos from authorities of when you see that the Hitman cutting, cutting up the bodies, dipping them in acid torturing individuals. It can be it can take a toll on a person, then it can be disturbing.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4330.0,4435.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"So we're asking reporters what what how do you deal with that?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4435.0,4442.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Oh, you develop a thick skin. You tend to make light of things. And you just keep working?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4442.0,4453.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Do we've talked to people who say they've take breaks? I don't know if you've been able to do that, or I have","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4453.0,4459.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"not been able to take a break. Down here the you know, we're pretty short staffed so been going on stop.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4459.0,4470.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"So you will leave this subject in a second. But with respect to all of the these crime scenes that you've mentioned, and some of the acts crime acts, have you, you've been present at those scenes and you have you're the recipient of some of those videos and images and you have to you look at them to verify for to verify evidence that you're going to be using in a news report.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4470.0,4497.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Yes, I mean, for example, when I was talking about the gentleman that I bumped into Turkey, Jesus. I mean, two months after that, I ended up receiving some photographs of a shootout where he had been killed. Yeah, so the moment I saw a photo, I mean, that was him, you know, the same face as the guy that I saw in court for about, you know, four weeks at a time, the same faces, the guy that was looking across at me from the salad bar at the restaurant. And that is the same guy who's, you know, bloody body was on the ground. So those are things, you know that you see that on occasion. And crime scenes, I mean, on the US side, authorities will be more strict, they want to give you access to the to where the bodies are at. They tend to cordon off areas in Mexico, you can like walk right up to the bodies. I mean, it's there their most recently, I mean, we had an explosion Mall. And basically, it was a outdoor strip mall. Very big explosion, and you walked up right to the rubble. And as people were digging for bodies trying to get them out. I mean, there's no, they don't call it an off the areas as they do over here.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4497.0,4584.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"We've talked to some reporters who say that? Well, I guess the question is, do reporters talk among one another, each other one another or each other? Hear about what they see? Or do? Are there any support networks, like informal people, just talking about what they see.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4584.0,4604.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"As we talk about what we see, but not as so much as important work, it's just part of the job when you keep going?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4604.0,4614.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Do you think that it would be helpful for to have any kind of support for any of that sort of thing? Um, I don't mean you specifically, but just in general?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4614.0,4626.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I guess I mean, I guess part of it has to do with, unlike in some other areas of the country, I mean, we barely just got to the local university just got a journalism degree, like a. So other than that, before that, I mean, you know, there's, unlike other cities where you have universities with established schools of journalism, we just got those recently. So there's not that infrastructure where you know, you have a large journalism community. Here, they're very mobile, you know, you got a reporter, he'll be here two years, and then takes off to another city. So that's kind of what we've seen in the past. And that seems so as far as you know, developing that long lasting support structure. We haven't seen that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4626.0,4675.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"How about, because I know you have colleagues probably all along the border in this area. Do you support each other? In your work? So with do you ship do is there sharing of information?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4675.0,4691.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Absolutely. I mean, we'll help each other with information a lot. A lot of times when it's something that's developing, and nobody's wanting to talk to us, I mean, we'll we'll coordinate to kick doors, we can ask for size one station, because they're known for not playing fair. But for the most part, everybody else tends to work together. Have a core group of reporters that I trust, because I've been in Mexico with them. In cases when we've had threats or things of that nature, you know, we can all get kind of rally up around each other to support each other and help each other out.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4691.0,4730.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And colleagues in Mexico as well, did you Is there a back and forth with some of your trusted colleagues there or in","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4730.0,4737.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Mexico, we only talked to a very limited number. Because in Tamaulipas, the media has been infiltrated. There's, you know, connections with organized crime. So we've actually not established a close working relationship with most of them. We can it's only a small number of people that we trust with our information. For example, when it comes to social media on Twitter, I hardly ever put my face out there. My profile picture is a picture of my notebook. Facebook, that's more personal. I have only friends here but on Twitter, which is what we're all used to push my stories out. I hardly ever put on my face there. Because there's not the trust is not there.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4737.0,4800.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"And is that just to get a sense of long period? Is that new in terms of the infiltration of a lot of news organizations on the Mexico side? Or is that a long standing issue,","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4800.0,4814.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"or that issue has been a long standing issue? A lot of it goes back to reporters in Mexico underpaid, heavily. For And now, when it comes to the reporters on the crime beat, what's called Lanata Roca, those reporters will be approached by the local organized crime from that city, and then they'll get a stipend of sorts, you know, you see things you call it in things of that nature. So that's what we've, you know, that's something that's been there for a long time. So, you know, growing up in the air, I mean, you know, but then when you were reporting on the US ID are aware of that going on, right across from you. In 2009, you know, though, there was a report that was killed during a shoot out. Various, I mean, we were able to confirm that that was the link. That was the reporter that was in contact with the Gulf Cartel, and he was the one that was relaying the information. So when you have that going on, you know, it's very difficult to develop a trusting relationship. So you only talked to a handful of reporters. And you're","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4814.0,4893.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"aware, hold on.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4893.0,4901.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"It's back on. So we wanted to ask was speaking of, you know, going to places that seem a bit dangerous? What, what is your sense of journalists say, in Mexico who are doing serious reporting, investigating and journalists in your area? And yourself? What helps you with resiliency? Like, how do you keep coming back and doing the investigations that you do given all of the stresses?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4901.0,4941.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I mean, run that against.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4941.0,4945.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"So, so given all the stresses that journalists that do serious work, confront on a daily basis, and the challenges in Mexico and on the US side, what it what elements are, what factors keep you coming back so freshly to the work and, you know, sort of drive you to work so hard, and and not, you know, some people do leave the profession. What do you think keeps people going?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4945.0,4974.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Um, well, one of the things just to clarify the previous question about the reporters, having ties, I mean, I'm referring strictly to Tamaulipas, at least that's from my experience. We're in the in the money, but it's very difficult for independent journalists to work. I mean, there are not really Mexico City DeQuan. What is I mean, they work, and they continue to do good work, that, sadly, that's not the case in Tamaulipas. Now, as far as this goes, as far as what keeps us going, I mean, I started reporting on this. I mean, my family was not thrilled about it. But I started reporting on this when when they were","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=4974.0,5021.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"maybe I don't know, if you wanted to finish, do you think they do serious work? Right. So there might you don't have to say who?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5021.0,5028.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Okay, well, yeah. When I was referring to as far as the journalist in Mexico having been infiltrated, I'm referring specifically to Tamaulipas models and analysis, specifically. The journalism over there. I mean, it's been dead places in Mexico City to what is the one hour you have legitimate journalist or to real investigative work, selling and Damali because we don't have that anymore. And then also we have we have foreign correspondents to continue to do good work. Now as to why keeps me going. I mean, I got, I started covering cartels. When I was working at the Brownsville Herald, I was working downtown Brownsville. Just a stone's throw from my tomatoes. And it was just the sense of helplessness, helplessness, you know, you're seeing a shoot our hearing a shootout right across the river from you. But nobody was reporting anything on it. Nobody was telling the people what was going on, you know, rumors were just running around, but nobody had any real information about what was happening. The demolishes government was denying everything. I mean, I'm talking back in 2008 2009. They were saying, oh, urban legends, rumors, hysteria. Nobody was saying, oh, yeah, you have a shootout, you know. And that's what that sense of helplessness turned into anger. And I said, What the hell with this, I'm going to start reporting on this. And that's where I got started. And then it gets just kind of looking for the next big story. Just yeah, trying to uncover that trend to uncover the next big corruption case, the next big cover up. That's what keeps us keeps me going.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5028.0,5146.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Thank you, if you want, if you would we just mentioned","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5146.0,5162.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"wanted to go back just for a second to your mentioning about your byline. You know, being not having one and then having one. But you had one in the beginning. You had used a byline in the beginning. And then do you quit using one? And then you started again? Or could you tell us a little about the history and whether you had received threats or you were concerned?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5162.0,5181.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, during 2001, I started, I was doing crime reporting. When he dealt with cops on the US side, I was, you know, putting my violent to everything. Once I started reporting in Mexico, because I did not know who I could trust, because I knew the reporters in Mexico had been infiltrated. For a while I stopped using a byline. That was just continuing to report but I was not able to. I didn't feel safe putting my name to those stories. Over time that change now. Pretty much I guess it adds a sense of transparency to the work. And as far as threats, I mean, no, I don't think I've had any issues. I mean, you're always careful. You're always looking over your shoulder type stuff. But as far as you know, somebody making a direct death threat at me. I have not had that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5181.0,5253.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Thank you. That's good. We finally want to ask what you see as the sort of the future of journalism here along the border. In terms of what what it will be reported, whether you think that the landscape will change in terms of violence, if you have any sense of that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5253.0,5276.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"In Somali person, the next month, things are gonna get worse. The Gulf Cartel has imploded, and they're gonna keep killing each other. On the flip side, the Mexican government is trying to push an agenda of everything is safe, we're making progress in security issues. nothing bad happens over here. In the near future, the as what I was saying about report has been here two years and now leaving, as I continue to report it, as the head develop those sorts of things in Mexico, they may not be here. So the coverage is going to falter. He you're not going to have people that will be able to call out a cover up or a lie when you're saying we had two bystanders killed. And in reality you had the doesn't, you know, government killed the year and you're not going to have people that will be able to say, You know what, that's a lie. I mean, there are several factors. I mean, locally, the news stations are not willing to put their people in Mexico. They're focusing on breaking stories are more like a day to day crime beat type of stuff than actual investigations. And I don't see too much of media outlets in general, focusing on long term investigations.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5276.0,5371.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"That's helpful. Thank you. And then along that line, we want to ask, do you see any difference in access to government information with since President called that owns tenure compared with say, President Pena Nieto? Administration.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5371.0,5393.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I'm speaking for Tamaulipas in general. When Calderon was As president, Tamaulipas had no information to give, it was that was just it. It was there were a couple of press releases here and there. But no real, you know, there was no interaction to kind of get records available. The federal government was trying to be transparent, but at the state level, it was a nightmare. Now, the state with the new president, they tried to put out more press releases. And they will put out three or four line press releases about oh, there was a shoot out three people that when it's in the border area, we can find out what really happened. But when you're putting out a press release, about Tampico, that six, seven hour drive for me, so there, I won't be able to find out what really happened and if what they're saying is accurate. When they put out a press release, most recently on June 9, about a prison riot and what the models the press release said that eight people have been injured. And that was the end of the story. I've been speaking with the family of an American citizen that was amongst those eight people. He died at the hospital. Nobody ever, ever put any information about him dying, or the fact that he was an American citizen and rhinos in their matamoras. Prison.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5393.0,5488.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"That's that's helpful. Why do you think there was there has been a bit of a flip with information available from the local administration now versus before during the colonial period?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5488.0,5502.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Well, what it seems to be was that when Calderon was the president, it was Tamaulipas was run by a different party, the PRI, Catherine was from the phn and everybody seemed to focus on making Calderon look bad, you know, he's to blame for all the for for all the violence, it's all his fault. And the state didn't really seem to want to do anything about it. You would ask public officials on they'll say, oh, that's metal for the federal government. That changed when the new president came in. Everybody's from the same party. So now you have it's just so easy to see that now you have the secretary of interior working hand in hand with the governor talking about the new security plan for them. Oliver's based out of Victoria trying to, you know, show this oh, we're working hand in hand when the previous administration, they were now working hand in hand. And now they're trying to say, Oh, we're making inroads and we're gonna clean up to suit the police forces, we're gonna take down cartel hits, and they make all these announcements as what they've done yet. People continue to disappear. People continue to have to pay extortion money, people are getting kidnapped. I mean, the crime has not stopped. It may look great on paper, but in the reality is very different.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5502.0,5596.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Thank you. Finally, we just want to ask if you have any comments, or any any is there anything that we have, that you think we should have asked or you want to add to?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5596.0,5606.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Not that I can think of right now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5606.0,5609.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I just one other thing. There's a few people who have have made this sort of forecast that that the violence is going to subside pretty quickly, because of the energy reforms in the natural gas reserves and the energy resources and developers and what your what are your thoughts about that?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5609.0,5632.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I've heard that I've heard that mentioned around quite a bit. I don't see it happening. They're bringing in a lot of federal police officers and soldiers to the area. If you saturate that the with the area with a police presence, there might be a temporary decrease in crime. But that's not a permanent solution. You still have drugs coming across the border. So you still have the whole the whole structure of the the Gulf Cartel where they have their regular business, extortion, kidnapping, murder for hire, they're still doing that. And the police presence here, I mean, I don't see a change coming. The moment I stopped seeing, you know, the drug loads coming across the border, that's when I think maybe something has changed, but at this point that has not slowed down. The drugs continue to flow. Now The cartels getting into human smuggling or they've been in human smuggling. We're in the humanitarian crisis because we're getting more immigrants than we had ever had before, in this particular area. So the security the plan is working. So well, why is all this happening here? I'm still seeing murders and in the US side that have been ordered out of Mexico. Again, if that security plan is working, why is this going on? Mexico is trying to put they seem to be trying to push an agenda where the perception of violence is decreasing. But the perception versus the reality are, are very different. That is what we'll see. I mean, right now, this morning before he came here. A number of federal police officers, just south of Reynosa were ambushed by the gunman. It was a shoot out. Still trying to find out how many actually died. Again, if the security plan is working so well, why what just happened? And, you know, I have relatives in Mexico. When they come visit, they take they call it a convoy. Basically, you have about 100 cars lined up, and they're escorted by federal police officers to come up the highway from Victoria or Tampico to Matamoros or Reynosa if they're, if there's a need for that, how's this? How's our things improving? And that is that combo it goes every day, or every other day? From Victoria or Tampico to Matamoros, Andre Nasir going back","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5632.0,5808.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"just curious. I mean, on a personal level, you grew up pretty much on both sides of the border. So what is that like this, you know, in terms of your you know, your personal identity being a frontier Isa, so to speak.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5808.0,5824.0"},{"id":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694/transcript/41739/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Hmm, I haven't thought about it that way. I guess there's a little bit of both sides of the border and behind you know, that's kind of it gives you a different perspective on things and a better understanding. People from Austin may not understand how things are here. They may see charts figures, but they may not understand the story and that's one thing that as journalists we try to do. Same thing with people from Mexico they may not understand McAllen area that Brownsville area. And that's one thing that in as journalists, it's our job to kind of show them. It's not just charts, numbers and headlines. It's the story behind of the area, the culture and how it's all related.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://arizona.aviaryplatform.com/collections/1285/collection_resources/86445/file/174694#t=5824.0,2279.016"}]}]}]}