USA v. García Luna

Episodio 13: 38 Años por una Doble Vida Oct 18, 2024

El día finalmente llegó. Genaro García Luna, quien fuera uno de los hombres más poderosos de México, ha sido sentenciado por una corte en Nueva York a más de 38 años en prisión. En el último episodio de nuestra serie, Maria Hinojosa y Peniley Ramírez nos cuentan qué ocurrió dentro de la corte y nos comparten sus primeras impresiones. Además, nos revelan que este no es el fin de la historia judicial de García Luna en Estados Unidos, pues enfrenta otros casos en el país.

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Episode 13: 38 Years for a Double Life Oct 18, 2024

The day finally arrived. Genaro García Luna, one of Mexico's former most powerful government officials, has been sentenced to serve more than 38 years in prison by a court in New York. In the last episode of our series, Maria Hinojosa and Peniley Ramírez tell us what happened inside the courthouse and also reveal to us that this isn't the end of the judicial problems for García Luna in the United States, as he faces other cases in the country.

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Episodio 12: Un Sistema Fallido Oct 10, 2024

Un año después de la condena del Genaro García Luna, quien fue Secretario de Seguridad Pública de México durante el sexenio de Felipe Calderón, Peniley y Maria vuelven como conductoras de USA vs García Luna y cuentan un nuevo ángulo la historia del exsecretario de seguridad pública mexicano, a pocos días de su audiencia de sentencia. En este episodio nuestras conductoras entrevistan al ex oficial del Departamento de Estado, John Feeley, quien les revela cuáles fueron las fallas en sistema de justicia estadounidense que permitieron a García Luna estar en libertad durante muchos años después de cometer sus crímenes.

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Episode 12: A Broken System Oct 10, 2024

After a year since his conviction, Peniley and Maria dust off the hosts' seats to continue telling Genaro Garcia Luna’s story as he is just days away from his sentencing hearing. On this episode, former State Department official, John Feely, sits down with our hosts and reveals the flaws in the American justice system that let Garcia Luna run free for many years after his crimes.

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USA v. García Luna Presents: Chess Piece: The Elián González Story Oct 02, 2024

Introducing a new series that we think you'll love: "Chess Piece: The Elián González Story," from Futuro Studios, in collaboration with iHeartRadio's My Cultura Podcast Network.

In 1999, two Florida fishermen found a cherub of a boy named Elián González in the sea on Thanksgiving. The boy had floated alone for days. His mother managed to save her son’s life by strapping him to an inner tube before she drowned. Elián's father in Cuba desperately tried to get his son back.

Our host, investigative journalist Peniley Ramírez, was also separated from her family by the Florida Straits. When Peni was 11 years old her dad told her a dangerous secret before he left on an official trip on behalf of the Cuban government — he would not be returning.

Relating to Elián in many ways, Peniley seeks to unearth his story with the clarity of history, nearly a quarter century later. Looking beyond the mythology around Elián saga, from the miracle rescue to dolphins, Peni uncovers a more layered story, even dark at times. This season on Chess Piece, we tell you the Elián story unlike you've heard before.

You can find and subscribe to "Chess Piece" on the iHeartRadio App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow it on Instagram and Tiktok.

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USA v. García Luna Presents: Stars and Stars with Isa Aug 16, 2024

Futuro Studios presents Stars and Stars with Isa in collaboration with Stitcher Studios. Each week our host and astrologer, Isa Nakazawa, sits down with some of the most talented stars and thinkers of our time, to find what their birth chart reveals about them and their purpose. You’ll laugh, you might cry, and you’ll definitely connect with your favorites. And who knows, maybe, you’ll learn a little bit more about yourself. In this episode, Isa speaks with standup comedian, host, director, and producer, W. Kamau Bell. Together, they discuss how his Aquarius Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Taurus Rising inform his ability to ask the right questions of people who should be held accountable.

You can find and subscribe to Stars and Stars with Isa wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and Tiktok @starsandstarswithisa

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USA v. García Luna Presents: My Divo Aug 09, 2024

For host Maria Garcia, Mexican megastar Juan Gabriel has always held a singular allure. He was a prolific composer and one of the world’s greatest showmen. There was a lightness and a bigness to him—a big queer exuberance. And now, as the first openly gay woman in her family line, Maria looks to Juan Gabriel as a key to reconcile her queerness with her Mexican heritage.

"My Divo" is an Apple Original podcast produced by Futuro Studios.

Follow and listen: Apple Podcasts

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Listen Now: When We Win Feb 13, 2024

Today, we are dropping in your feed to introduce you to When We Win, a new podcast from Lemonada Media that asks, is the impossible possible? What will it take to create a truly engaged democracy that represents all of us? Each week, Maya Rupert talks to some of the most incredible women of color in office today who ran against insurmountable odds and won, from the all-women city council in St. Paul, Minnesota, to the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress. So stop asking yourself if we can win, and start imagining what we’ll do when we win.

You’re about to hear a clip from episode one of the podcast. After you listen, head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/whenwewin to hear the rest of the episode.

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Episodio 11: Una Guerra Imposible de Ganar Mar 03, 2023

El juicio de Genaro García Luna terminó, pero no la investigación de María y Peniley. En este episodio, se enteran de que un senador estadounidense ha solicitado a la DEA y el FBI información sobre García Luna, incluyendo los nombres de los oficiales estadounidenses que examinaron y dieron su visto bueno a García Luna. Escuchamos las reacciones al veredicto de algunos de los protagonistas de esta historia, y Peniley nos cuenta qué sigue para García Luna. Nuestras conductoras discuten por qué la guerra contra las drogas parece imposible de ganar y revelan un poco de chisme, con algunos detalles tras bambalinas de este podcast.

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Episode 11: An Unwinnable War Mar 03, 2023

Genaro García Luna’s trial is over, but María and Peniley’s investigative work is not. In this episode, they learn that a U.S. senator has requested the DEA and the FBI information on García Luna, including the names of the U.S. officials who vetted him. We listen to some of our series' protagonists react to the guilty verdict, and Peniley digs into what’s next for García Luna. Finally, our hosts reflect on why the war on drugs was always unwinnable, and they get into some chisme, going behind the scenes of this series.

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Episodio 10: Culpable Feb 24, 2023

Después de seis semanas de cubrir el juicio y más de 10 años investigando a Genaro García Luna, Peniley y Maria escuchan el veredicto. El exfuncionario mexicano de mayor rango que enfrentó un juicio en EEUU fue declarado culpable de conspiración para traficar cocaína y otros cargos. En este episodio, Peniley y Maria comparten los momentos clave del testimonio de la esposa de García Luna, y los argumentos de descargo antes de la decisión del jurado. Entrevistan a la periodista Anabel Hernández, quien tuvo que abandonar México luego de informar sobre García Luna mientras él estaba en el poder.

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Episode 10: Guilty Feb 24, 2023

After six weeks of attending the trial and more than 10 years investigating Genaro García Luna, Peniley and Maria sat arm in arm in court with other reporters as they braced themselves for the verdict. And, just as Peniley’s reporting found —the highest former Mexican government official to ever face trial in the U.S.— is guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine to the U.S., among other charges. In this episode, Peniley and Maria share the key moments from Garcia Luna’s wife’s testimony, and the closing arguments that led to the jury’s decision. They also interview Mexican journalist Anabel Hernandez, who was forced to leave Mexico after reporting on García Luna while he was still in power.

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Episodio 9: Las Grabaciones de la DEA Feb 17, 2023

El juicio está llegando a su fin, lo que significa que Peniley está exhausta y María tuvo que sacarla de la cama para llegar a tiempo a la corte. Esta semana, Jesús ‘El Rey’ Zambada, ex-jefe del cártel de Sinaloa, declaró que él personalmente entregó sobornos a García Luna. Además, la esposa de García Luna subió al estrado. Luego, Peniley investigó un poco más y consiguió una fuente, un ex-alto funcionario de seguridad, que habla por primera vez en entrevista sobre supuestas cintas secretas de García Luna que escuchó en una instalación de la DEA. Ahora, el jurado está en privado deliberando.

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Episode 9: The DEA Tapes Feb 17, 2023

The trial against Genaro García Luna is reaching its end—which means Peniley is exhausted and Maria has to pull her out of bed just to make it to court! This week, Jesus ‘El Rey’ Zambada, the Sinaloa cartel’s former top boss, testified that he personally delivered bribes to García Luna. In defense of her husband, García Luna’s wife took the stand. Then, Peniley does some-–more—digging and gets a source, a former senior security official, who speaks for the first time on the record about alleged secret tapes he heard at a DEA facility of Garcia Luna. Now, the jury is out — literally.

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Episodio 8: Un 'Bad Bunny' Feb 10, 2023

En 2007 las autoridades mexicanas decomisaron más de 23 toneladas de cocaína del Cártel de Sinaloa en el puerto mexicano de Manzanillo. México y Estados Unidos lo celebraron como la incautación de drogas más grande en la historia de México, hasta la fecha. Quince años después, Genaro García Luna está acusado de ayudar al cártel a evitar una “multa” de 50 millones de dólares en relación con esa redada. Ahora, Peniley y María analizan cómo Estados Unidos y García Luna trabajaron juntos para lograrlo. Y no podrían haberlo hecho sin Harold 'El Conejo' Poveda, el hombre que lloró en el banquillo de los testigos y contó su papel en el narcotráfico internacional.

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Episode 8: One Bad Bunny Feb 10, 2023

In 2007, more than 23 tons of cocaine belonging to the Sinaloa cartel were found in the Mexican port of Manzanillo. Mexico and the U.S. celebrated it as the biggest drug bust in Mexican history to date. Fifteen years later, Genaro García Luna is accused of helping the cartel avoid a $50 million “fine” in connection to that bust. Now, Peniley and Maria break down how the U.S. and García Luna worked together to make it happen. And they couldn’t have done it without Harold ‘El Conejo’ Poveda, the man who cried on the witness stand and made the international drug trade go round.

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Episodio 7: Se Canceló La Fiesta Feb 03, 2023

Tirso 'El Futbolista' Martínez, es el segundo testigo en declarar en el juicio contra Genaro García Luna. Era un distribuidor importante de cocaína para el cártel de Sinaloa en Estados Unidos. Mientras escucha su testimonio, Peniley se entera de la dirección del almacén en Brooklyn que solía servir como fachada del cartel y va a visitar el lugar. En este episodio, Peniley y María conectan el juicio de García Luna con el de El Chapo y cuentan cómo un testigo dijo que García Luna era la “mejor inversión” del cártel. Una vez, supuestamente, incluso el equipo de Garcia Luna le advirtió a un traficante que la DEA planeaba hacer una redada en su fiesta de navidad.

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Episode 7: Party's Canceled Feb 03, 2023

Tirso ‘El Futbolista’ Martinez, is the second witness to testify against Genaro García Luna. El Futbolista was a major cocaine distributor for El Chapo’s Sinaloa cartel in the U.S. While listening to his testimony, Peniley learns the address of the warehouse in Brooklyn that used to serve as the cartel’s front. She goes there. In this episode, Peniley and Maria connect García Luna’s and El Chapo’s trials. They learn why a witness said García Luna was the Sinaloa cartel’s “best investment.” Once, he – allegedly – even warned a witness that the DEA was planning to crash their Christmas party.

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USA v. García Luna Presents: La Brega 2 — The Puerto Rican Experience in 8 Songs Feb 02, 2023

Known as the island donde hasta la piedras cantan – “where even the rocks sing” – Puerto Rico is home to a dizzying breadth of musical expression. From the lyrical boleristas of the 1930s, to the electric salseros of the ’70s, to the reggaetoneros of today who have taken music from the margins and made it a global sensation, this season takes listeners on an exciting, richly-reported, cross-genre adventure that captures the ceaseless creativity, emotional resonance, and yes, la brega. We start this journey with the island’s most celebrated composer Rafael Hernandez, who wrote one of the island’s unofficial anthems, “Preciosa.” It’s a love song written for Puerto Rico that praises the island’s beauty and, remarkably, also calls out the forces that oppress it.

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Episodio 6: Una Historia de Traiciones Jan 27, 2023

Después de 10 años de investigar a Genaro García Luna, Peniley está ahora en Brooklyn con María, informando sobre su juicio. García Luna está acusado de tener un segundo trabajo, uno sucio, para el Cártel de Sinaloa, mientras era un oficial de alto rango en el gobierno mexicano. Futuro Investigates va a la corte cada mañana para ver al otrora “intocable” jefe de policía enfrentarse a los 12 jurados que decidirán su destino. En este episodio, conocemos a los miembros del jurado, los testigos del cartel, los manifestantes y el equipo legal que argumenta que el ex héroe mexicano ahora protagoniza una historia de traiciones.

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Episode 6: A Story of Betrayal Jan 27, 2023

After 10 years of investigating Genaro García Luna, Peniley is now on the ground in Brooklyn with Maria, reporting on his trial. He is accused of working a second, dirty job for the Sinaloa Cartel, besides his role as a top officer for the Mexican government. Each morning, Futuro Investigates heads to the courthouse to see the once “untouchable” cop face the 12 jurors who will decide his fate. In this episode, we meet the jury members, the cartel witnesses, the protestors, and prosecutors arguing the former Mexican hero is now starring in a story of betrayal.

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Episodio Extra: La hora del juicio Jan 17, 2023

El juicio de Genaro García Luna en Nueva York comienza este 17 de enero. Mientras, fiscalía y defensa discuten cómo se le presentará ante el jurado. ¿El juez permitirá a la defensa mencionar que García Luna fue muy cercano a las autoridades de Estados Unidos? ¿Su fortuna en Miami será parte del juicio? Por primera vez en español, la periodista ganadora del premio Pulitzer María Hinojosa y la ganadora del premio Emmy Peniley Ramírez te cuentan todo lo que necesitas saber antes de que comience este juicio, mientras se alistan para cubrirlo. Lo hacen a su estilo: con un brindis y un tequila.

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Extra Episode: Trial Time Jan 17, 2023

The trial of Genaro García Luna starts January 17, and Maria and Peniley are back in the studio to explain everything you need to know before the trial begins. The prosecution and defense teams are already battling over how García Luna will be presented to the jury. Will the defense be allowed to exhibit evidence of his close relationship with the U.S. authorities? Will García Luna’s wealth in Miami be part of the New York case? To find out, follow Maria and Peniley as they cover the trial together. As usual, they’ll do it their style: toasting with tequila.

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Episode 5: Dirty DEA Jan 06, 2023

In this season finale, María and Peniley pose one last question: Was García Luna a mastermind triple agent, or is there a systemic issue fostering corruption in the DEA? To find out, we zoom into the DEA’s role in the drug war and talk to an ex-DEA special agent and whistleblower. We also take a moment to remember the victims of the failed “war on drugs” and highlight their mothers’ efforts toward accountability and healing. Finally, Maria and Peniley take one more trip where they give us a final revelation – this time to the place where García Luna spends his days awaiting his day in court.

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Episode 4: Operation Miami Dec 30, 2022

September 19, 2017 changed Peniley’s life. That morning, she found a picture that connected García Luna and two Mexican businessmen that Peniley had already been investigating. They had multimillion dollar contracts with the Mexican government. She emailed García Luna for a comment. Two minutes later, Mexico was hit with one of the worst earthquakes in its history. In this episode, we break down the scheme García Luna and his co-conspirators allegedly used to make themselves rich, and we explore the trauma journalists often experience while investigating a story for so long.

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Episode 3: By the Train Tracks in Queens Dec 16, 2022

Peniley and Maria take a roadtrip to an unassuming warehouse in Queens. The location was once a front company for El Chapo’s Sinaloa cartel. Now, García Luna is accused of facilitating drugs to New York, as part of El Chapo’s business chain. Maria and Peniley learn that accusations of collaboration between El Chapo and García Luna date back to as early as 2001 – way before he was appointed as Secretary of Public Security. In this episode, we reveal how García Luna was able to climb the highest ranks of Mexican politics and how he managed to stay there without any accountability for so long.

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True Crime Telenovela: Behind the Scenes of USA v. García Luna Dec 15, 2022

We're sharing an episode from Futuro Media's political podcast In The Thick. Co-hosts Maria and Julio are joined by Peniley Ramírez, executive producer of Futuro Unidad Hinojosa and Futuro’s Special Projects and Investigative Units, for a behind-the-scenes look into “USA v. García Luna.” Maria and Peniley talk about how this five-episode series reimagines investigative journalism. They get into their experience reporting on the rise and fall of Genaro García Luna, a former high-ranking Mexican official facing trial in New York City next month for allegedly working with drug cartels to bring drugs into the United States.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams, File

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Episode 2: The Mexican Hoover Dec 09, 2022

From CSI to Donna Summer, García Luna was fascinated by anything American. Several U.S. officials said that García Luna was the person they trusted the most in the Mexican government. They called him "The Mexican Hoover," after John Edgar Hoover, the FBI’s first director. But soon, García Luna was facing accusations of corruption. In this episode, Peniley and Maria tell us exactly how far back those suspicions go as well as his obsessions, his childhood dreams, and how it all led to him heading the Mexican equivalents of the DEA, FBI, NSA and prison systems put together.

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Episode 1: Untouchable Dec 09, 2022

Peniley Ramírez has one obsession: Genaro García Luna, Mexico’s top security official from 2006 to 2012. For years, Peniley broke news of his alleged corruption in Mexico and the U.S.. Yet, García Luna seemed untouchable. That is, until his name was brought up by a former cartel leader during Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s U.S. trial. Now, he faces his own trial. In this episode, Peniley dives into the latest with her new friend Maria Hinojosa. Over a bottle of tequila, they raise questions about what García Luna's upcoming trial says about the role of the U.S. in the “war on drugs.”

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Introducing USA v. García Luna Nov 30, 2022

Futuro Investigates and Latino USA —in partnership with Lemonada Media— present “USA v. García Luna,” a new investigative series about the most powerful Mexican official to ever face trial in the U.S. for allegedly accepting million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloan drug cartel.
Before his arrest, Genaro García Luna worked closely with U.S. diplomats and intelligence agencies, and was considered the architect of the Mexican "war on drugs," funded with more than $3 billion of U.S. taxpayer money.
Look for it on December 9th wherever you get your podcasts and at futuroinvestigates.org.

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