Credit: Danny Jones Youtube
In this episode of the Danny Jones Podcast, host Danny Jones interviews veteran British journalist Ioan Grillo, who has lived and reported full-time in Mexico for over 25 years. Drawing from his decades of on-the-ground investigative reporting, Grillo details the dramatic evolution of Mexican drug cartels from localized smuggling syndicates into heavily armed, paramilitary organizations. He explains key turning points, such as the Gulf Cartel recruiting Mexican Special Forces to form Los Zetas, and provides first-hand accounts of navigating high-risk reporting across cartel-controlled territories. The four-hour conversation also explores the broader geopolitical, economic, and security dynamics shaping North and Latin America. Grillo and Jones discuss the devastating impacts of the fentanyl crisis, foreign policy initiatives, and state-level corruption across Latin America, citing examples from Honduras to Venezuela. Wrapping up the interview, Grillo reflects on the changing landscape of independent media and previews his upcoming book and ongoing work with his journalism platform, CrashOut Media.
