Mexican journalist to speak at Newhouse
For Lydia Cacho, reporting the truth can be a costly experience. Cacho, a Mexican journalist, uncovered a child pornography and prostitution ring run by powerful Mexican politicians and businessmen in 2003. Upon discovering this, she decided to expose the secret to the public, with a goal of ending human rights abuses and exposing the guilty.
After uncovering the story, Cacho published her findings in a book, ‘The Demons of Eden: The Power That Protects Child Pornography,’ which consequently caused her to be detained, driven in a car for 20 hours, threatened with rape, tortured and arrested for defamation. However, the government’s attempt to silence Cacho proved unsuccessful. Cacho, a Tully Center for Free Speech winner, calls upon her experience when speaking about the ongoing exploitation of human rights in Mexico.
Cacho will be telling her story today at 7:30 p.m. inside Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse III. It is open to the public, and the audience will have a chance to ask follow-up questions.
Barbara Fought, the director of Syracuse University’s Tully Center for Free Speech, admires the kind of bravery and courage Cacho has.
‘I don’t know if I would keep doing journalism if I was subjected to the same trial Cacho has been through,’ Fought said.
Each year, the Tully Center selects a recipient from 12 nominees for the Tully Center Award, in praise for outstanding work in journalism despite any adversity he or she may have faced.
To Audrey Burin, the facilitator of the Tully Center, Cacho fits the bill perfectly. Cacho is an excellent example of why free speech is so important and what the Tully Center stands for, he said.
One of the judges and a researcher at the Tully Center, Alex Blute, said Cacho spoke from her heart. ‘Lydia stuck out to me. I’m very excited to have her here,’ Blute said.
Fought and Blute believe students will learn about one of the greatest rights Americans have.
‘It can be difficult to say what you want to say and print what you want to print,’ Burin said.
Respectful of Cacho’s determination for striving for the truth, Burin said she admires the journalist’s fiery passion, resilience and, above all, personality. ‘She seemed like such a sweet person when I talked to her over the phone, very easy-going and down to earth.’
Blute agrees and said she was pleasantly surprised when she heard on the phone how humble and gracious Cacho is, despite being a journalist who receives an abundance of press and accolades.
Fought added that to ensure her security, Cacho always has to travel with bodyguards. As a result of her writing and reporting, her life is always on the line – a price she has to pay for her coverage of human rights abuses in Mexico.
‘Listening to Cacho will help us better understand and appreciate what we take for granted,’ Burin said.
Published on February 15, 2010 at 12:00 pm
