If you’ve been following this blog, you know about our outrage at the murder of self-taught Mexican lawyer Marco Antonio Armendáriz Vega, who was shot to death in his home at the age of 56 last October. Marcos represented the poor and powerless against the corrupt and powerful in Mexico’s northern Sonora state. Our hats are off to NPR, who broadcast Peter O’Dowd’s remembrance on All Things Considered on March 8. The story provides some fascinating details about Marcos, who worked mainly for free, and who relished his role as an outsider. We hope the publicity will put pressure on Mexican investigators to identify those responsible for his murder.
O’Dowd is a reporter for public radio station KJZZ in Phoenix. Marcos was featured in a profile of e-waste recycler Vicki Ponce produced by our friend Ingrid Lobet as part of Homelands’ WORKING series on Marketplace.