Lorne Matalon has been reporting from Mexico for The World since November 2007. He has covered the Mexican ‘war on drugs’ from the frontlines, going on patrol with the Mexican armed forces. Lorne also covered immigration and economic stories from south of the border. He has also reported from Venezuela for The World. Previously he worked at NPR Member Stations WUNC and WBUR, also filing for NPR from Haiti, Panama and Mongolia. Lorne is a contributor to National Geographic’s Ethnosphere Project and a National Fellow at the Explorers Club of New York.
Saving a river along the US-Mexico border Feb 22nd, 2010: Arizona and the neighboring Mexican state of Sonora are two regions divided by an international border but united by a common need: water. Both are dry, and getting drier. Water has been a source of squabbling across the US-Mexico border for generations. But on one river that flows across the border, people are starting to work together to restore parts of the river.
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Picture gallery: Saving a river
Mexican Mennonites Dec 23rd, 2009: Chihuahua is by far Mexico’s most violent state, riven by almost daily murders linked to Mexico’s drug trade. But Christian Mennonites, who above all are pacifists, are also a part of the state’s tapestry. The World’s Lorne Matalon traveled to Chihuahua to meet some of them.
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Picture gallery: Mexican Mennonites
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Mix of politics and drugs June 30th, 2009: A mayoral candidate in Mexico has said publicly what just about every Mexican knows to be true — the drug cartels have thoroughly contaminated Mexican politics. But this candidate is caught on tape.
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Before the election June 29th, 2009: Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon will be watching his country’s upcoming local elections very carefully. That’s because his conservative party is trying to win Congressional seats and Calderon wants to make sure he has enough support to fight the country’s rampant drug problem.
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Collateral damage in the drug war June 23rd, 2009: Complaints about human rights abuses by the military are on the rise. Civilians are getting caught in the crossfire as the Mexican army battles drug lords. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
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Fighting corruption June 12th, 2009: Lorne Matalon reports on the Mexican government’s battle against drug traffickers and official corruption in the central state of Michoacan. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
Drug cartels still in action
May 28th, 2009: Mexico’s violent drug cartels didn’t simply pack up and go home when the H1N1flu arrived. In fact they’re just as active as before. The World’s Lorne Matalon reports that the government has once again stepped up its attempts to beat back the cartels.
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Flu politics May 4th, 2009: Lorne Matalon reports on some of the political fallout from the swine flu outbreak in Mexico. Some opposition politicians are criticizing the government for not reacting fast enough to the outbreak, or for overreacting. President Felipe Calderon has defended his government’s actions as swift and appropriate. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
A doctor’s day in Mexico City
April 30th, 2009: The World’s Lorne Matalon profiles a pediatrician in one of Mexico City’s hospitals. The doctor is struggling to care for his young patients and protect his own health amidst the swine flu outbreak.
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Swine flu concern grows April 28th, 2009: Many parts of the world are concerned about the same thing: swine flu. The World’s Lorne Matalon has the latest from the hardest-hit country so far — Mexico. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
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Drastic measures in Mexico City April 27th, 2009: The World’s Lorne Matalon has the latest from Mexico City on the swine flu outbreak there. Mexico’s capital has essentially closed down, as authorities try to stop the spread of the swine flu virus. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
Outbreak of swine flu April 24th, 2009: At least 16 people in Mexico have died from what officials there say is a strain of influenza that originally came from pigs. Meanwhile, swine flu is also being reported in the southern United States. Anchor Katy Clark speaks with The World’s Lorne Matalon in Mexico City.
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NAFTA stays as it is April 21st, 2009: Lorne Matalon reports on how Mexico is reacting to the Obama Administration’s decision not to seek a renegotiation of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
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Before the election April 16th, 2009: Mexico’s drug cartels have already expanded their operations into the United States. Now they’re also expanding south into Central America. From Panama, The World’s Lorne Matalon reports.
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Obama visit April 15th, 2009: President Obama is visiting Mexico to meet with President Felipe Calderón before they both take off to attend the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad & Tobago. The World’s Lorne Matalon reports.
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Juarez border war March 17, 2009: Juarez, Mexico, a stone’s throw from El Paso, Texas represents an important business center for the United States, supplying dozens of U.S. companies with auto parts, electronics and other manufactured goods. But the city is under siege, a fact acknowledged by the Obama Administration, which is crafting contingency plans to send the National Guard to the border if conditions deteriorate further. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. |
Audio slideshow: Buddhism in Mexico March, 2009: Lorne Matalon visits a touring display of ancient Tibetan relics in Mexico City and tells us how Buddhism is gaining popularity in mostly-Catholic Mexico. Narration and all photos: Lorne Matalon.View the slideshow |
Audio slideshow: Saint of Death March, 2009: Mexico is experiencing a horrifying wave of violence. So it’s not surprising that the religious cult, Santa Muerte – or the Saint of Death – has gained a following. Narration and all photos: Lorne Matalon.View the slideshow |
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Mexico City dries up Feb 11th, 2009: Lorne Matalon reports that Mexico City is running out of water. Experts say the only solution is to change the water use habits of the area’s 20 million residents.
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Audio slideshow: Mexico’s thriving art scene November, 2008: Lorne Matalon explores Mexico’s thriving art scene which has been attracting more and more foreign-born artists. Narration and all photos: Lorne Matalon.View the slideshow |
Audio slideshow: Mexico kidnapping October, 2008: With an escalating war between Mexico’s drug cartels and the government, security is the number one issue as Mexico prepares for midterm elections next year. But adding to fears expressed by many Mexicans is a recent surge in kidnapping with victims from all social classes. Narration and all photos: Lorne Matalon.View the slideshow Update: In December 2008 the Mexican authorities told the family featured in this slideshow that they’ve positively identified remains found recently in the Mexico City area as those of abducted Silvia Vargas Escaleras. |
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Mexican view of the U.S. elections October, 2008: Mexicans watched the U.S. presidential race closely, with polls showing a split along socio-economic lines that mirrors that of Mexican society itself. But the vast majority of Mexicans surveyed say they support the Democratic Party. Transcript with pictures |
Patroling the border May, 2008: In 2007 the United States deported a record number of undocumented Mexicans, but authorities along the U.S. -Mexico border say Mexicans seeking jobs continue to cross into the United States every day. People from other countries including Russia, Bangladesh and South Africa have also been caught trying to get into the U.S illegally. Lorne Matalon accompanied a patrol in southern Texas.Read the illustrated story |
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The drug war in Juarez May, 2008: The border area between the United States and Mexico has become so violent that the State Department issued a travel alert in April 2008. The warning says, “A war between criminal organizations for control of the lucrative narcotics trade continues along the border. Foreign visitors, including Americans, have been among the victims.” It’s one thing for visitors to avoid the border cities or at least to be alert to their surroundings. It’s another thing for the folks who live there. Read the illustrated story |
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On patrol with the Mexican army March, 2008: President Felipe Calderon made the fight against drug cartels a national priority. He’s ordered the Mexican Army to spear-head the effort. That means soldiers are heading into drug cartel territory to track down traffickers and destroy illegal crops. Lorne Matalon rode along on one such mission, in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa. Read the illustrated story |
Audio slideshow: Mexico’s drug war
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Press freedom on trial February, 2008: Mexico is not the most dangerous country for journalists, other nations compete for that dubious distinction. But Mexican reporters do risk their lives when they cover the nation’s drug traffickers. And some of them face intimidation from government officials unhappy with their work. The World’s Lorne Matalon reports on one case in the latter category that could end up before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Read the illustrated story |
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Mexico’s corn farmers January, 2008: It’s been 14 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect. Farm trade between the United States and Mexico immediately soared. It’s now four times what it was the year before NAFTA was signed. Two weeks ago, the few remaining trade restrictions on farm goods were dropped. U.S. officials is calling the move a win for farmers in both countries. But the reaction south of the border is quite different. Mexican farmers are taking to the streets in protest. The World’s Lorne Matalon reports from Xochimilco, Mexico. Read the illustrated story |
Audio slideshow: Mexico’s other immigrants
This is an impressive set of stories. I have lived in Mexico for 3 yrs., and find this reporter’s analysis to be more in-depth than than the typical media simplifications of what is going on here. The U-S cannot win the war, and the Mexican government cannot win the war. We need funding for rehabilitation, not just our armed forces.
Thanks for this coverage. R Hernandez