In today’s advanced technologies, the Internet and social media, should and is are indeed very remote.
Should - all the media around the world are free and open to work without censorship.
Is - in many countries worldwide word has no freedom.
Advocating for freedom of expression and information, brave and determined people launched project Méxicoleaks inviting whistleblowers and citizen journalists to report and share their information.
With great pleasure we present you our interview on Méxicoleaks with Eduard Martín-Borregón, Who’s Who Coordinator, a project of PODER, member of the Méxicoleaks alliance.
Q: What led to the formation of Méxicoleaks?
A: The Executive Director of PODER, Ben Cokelet met with Leon Williems, Executive Director of Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and they discussed a project on whistleblowing in México. Afterwards, FPU approached organizations and major actors in the media to launch the project in México.
Q: Méxicoleaks - what is your main purpose and guiding principles?
A: The main purpose of Méxicoleaks is to develop a culture of whistleblowing in México. Mexican society does not have the means to share sensitive information without being exposed to certain threats. In this context we set the goal of engage society to improve transparency and accountability of all kinds.
Through Méxicoleaks, citizens will be able to anonymously leak significant information and employ the resources of the members of this project, such as the Project on Organizing, Development, Education and Research (PODER) to disseminate information that can have an important impact such as halting the abuse of power and human rights violations, improving transparency, exposing corruption, etc.
Q: Since this is a really large project, do you have associates and support?
A: Méxicoleaks is driven by an alliance of 8 organizations and media outlets, which include Animal Politico, emmequis, Periodistas de a Pie, Más de 131, R3D, Aristegui Noticias, Proceso and PODER. We also have the support of FPU and are collaborating with Associated Whistleblowing Press.
Q: Media around the world are daily faced with different obstacles. What are in your opinion the greatest obstacles?
A: Right now I believe the most common problem for journalist and journalism is the economic media crisis. Life as a journalist is really hard; most media outlets just want to publish as much as they can to have lots and lots of visitors. We should combine this with long reading formats; journalists need time to do research, collect information, step back an analyze, and for that we need time. Finally, journalists should be paid the salaries they deserve.
Q: How do you see media today in México?
A: Media in México is suffering constant attacks from multiple fronts, but I would mention two of the most important: First, organized crime and impunity leave journalists with no protection. Hundreds of journalists have been threatened, attacked and murdered because they were reporting on the atrocities of organized crime along México and the authorities couldn’t do anything to stop it.
Second, the collusion of mass media with the government undermines the right of free speech, allowing the government to control most of public opinion. Right now the work of journalists such as “el equipo de investigaciones especiales de Carmen Aristegui” has revealed significant information that fights back against the dominance of mass, government-controlled media. As a consequence of such efforts, they have been let off the air.
Q: Is citizen journalism developed in México?
A: Citizen journalism is growing in México. For example, people record acts of corruption and abuse of power with their cellphones and then upload it to Facebook or Twitter, causing major repercussions. Members of the congress, public employees and so on have been removed from their positions thanks to these courageous acts of citizen journalism. People also use the camera on their cellphones to defend themselves from abuses of power perpetrated by the police, for example, by exposing officers trying to commit crimes such as extortion.
Q: What is your aim and do you think that citizen journalists can find place in Méxicoleaks?
A: Méxicoleaks aims to contribute to building a culture of whistleblowing in México. Through the socialization of a tool like Méxicoleaks, México could reach new levels of citizen journalism: Whistleblowers could include anyone from former workers at companies accused of corruption or environmental damage or someone who witnesses a government official abusing power and wants to speak up.