As part of our ongoing “10 Questions” interview series, GIJN’s Spanish editor Andrea Arzaba speaks with Omaya Sosa, founding co-director of Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism.
When reporters for Puerto Rico’s Centro de Periodismo Investigativo — its Center for Investigative Journalism — first published hundreds of pages of a leaked Telegram chat involving high-ranking officials, they had no idea this would lead to massive street protests and end in the governor’s resignation. This huge story followed the Center’s award-winning work exposing how the death toll from Hurricane Maria in 2017 was far in excess of what officials admitted. GIJN’s Gaelle Faure spoke to CPI’s executive editor Carla Minet to find out what’s next for her team.
Late last year, the number of official deaths during Hurricane Maria were at a surprising low. That’s when the journalists at Puerto Rico’s Centre de Periodismo Investigativo kicked into high gear, forcing government to be more transparent and accountable.
In the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact on Puerto Rico, amid shortages of food, water and electricity, international and local media have set up shop in the island’s Convention Center, creating a de facto newsroom where officials give press conferences and citizens look for resources. Among those leading the way are journalists from GIJN member Centro de Periodismo Investigativo.
It’s been a busy first quarter of 2017 for GIJN members — from picking up Pulitzer Prizes to launching crowdfunding campaigns. There have also been new projects and new collaborations forged. Here are some noteworthy splashes made by GIJN members around the world.
Six journalism organizations from five countries are the newest members of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, the association of nonprofit groups working to spread investigative reporting around the world. They bring the GIJN’s membership to 88 groups in 40 countries.
All the new member groups are deeply engaged in reporting. They include the Centre for Investigative Journalism in Slovenia; the Washington, D.C.-based International Reporting Project; Fundación MEPI in Mexico; Northern Ireland’s The Muckraker; and two groups from the Caribbean: the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, based in Puerto Rico; and Haiti’s Ayiti Kale Je (that’s Creole for Haiti Grassroots Watch).
