She Went ALONE to Mexico to Expose Cartels | Katarina Szulc

Katarina Szulc, a Canadian journalist, reveals her solo journey into the heart of Mexico's cartels. She shares the extreme risks, terrifying close calls, and why she chose to report alone on organized crime when no one else would. Learn how she got access, earned trust, and exposed the stories that mainstream media ignores.

Katarina Szulc is a Canadian freelance journalist based in Mexico, renowned for her hard-hitting investigative reporting on cartel violence, political corruption, and social issues. A 2021 graduate of the BCIT Journalism program, she has covered breaking news, politics, and community stories for outlets like CBC, CityNews Vancouver, and Substack, where her newsletter dives into Mexico’s gritty underbelly, including U.S.-Mexico anti-cartel strategies and criminal indictments. Previously, Szulc reported on local issues in Edmonton and Vancouver, focusing on government policies, public safety, and affordable housing, often incorporating data-driven analysis. Szulc’s work spans television, radio, online platforms, and audio storytelling.

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CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 – How Katarina Gains Cartel Access
00:01:16 – From Lone Journalist to Global Spotlight
00:03:53 – Why Law Enforcement Looks Away
00:05:30 – How China & Cartels Exploit Canada
00:07:28 – Drugs as Warfare Against the West
00:08:29 – National Security vs Drug Problem
00:09:17 – The U.S. Labels Cartels Terrorists
00:12:16 – Mexico’s Deep Corruption & Cartel Ties
00:15:20 – Why Real Journalism Feels “Radical”
00:20:43 – Terrifying Close Calls in Mexico
00:23:20 – Accused of Being CIA or Mossad
00:27:14 – How Going Public Changed Her Work
00:29:31 – Fighting Cartels Like Terrorists
00:33:10 – Why the Kingpin Strategy Fails
00:37:19 – Advanced Cartel Technology & Drones
00:41:22 – Border Tunnels & Immigration Exploited
00:44:02 – Human Trafficking & Missing Children
00:50:50 – Corruption in U.S. & Mexico
00:51:01 – Why She Chose Journalism at 18
00:55:03 – Leaving Canada to Report in Mexico
00:57:35 – Launching Borderlands with Ironclad
01:00:13 – Why Independent Journalism Matters
01:07:25 – Katarina’s Next Missions: Gaza & Afghanistan
01:18:39 – Why Even Cartels Want to Talk
01:19:04 – What She’d Tell Congress About Cartels
01:33:18 – Lessons in Resilience from the Frontlines

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