
Atlanta GA. Trump's Indictment Coverage
How was the once-in-a-lifetime experience of covering the surrender of former President Donald J. Trump at the Fulton County Jail? It was a fulfilling professional experience as a videographer, thanks to the Voice of America and its super reporters Celia Mendoza, Jorge Agobian and multimedia production manager Natalia Ardanza.
As a Venezuelan journalist, I witnessed the events of April 11, 2002, and now I'm witnessing Trump's racketeering indictment. Working for VOA this past week has been like coming full circle for me, because I've witnessed the rise of populism and the efforts in the United States to overcome it. These two historic events can only be linked through intimate and professional experience.
For better or worse, we Venezuelan-Americans have become very familiar with populism.
Define fun for a journalist: Going to bed at 12:20 a.m., waking up at 4:10 a.m., arriving on location at 5:30 a.m., claiming an eight-foot section of sidewalk under a tiny tree. Watching other major media crews arrive later, looking for spots. Standing between the CNN Spanish tent on one side and the Fox News tent on the other.
The experience encompasses everything about the moment, both the scary and the hopeful prospects. After a few hours, I could see the desperation and fear in the people below the surface.
The team worked tirelessly for three days, covering 39 hours in three days. I had the opportunity to capture highlights such as Rudy Giuliani's lawyer's visit to the Fulton County Supreme Court and Congresswoman Majory Taylor Green's appearance at the side entrance of the jail. With fellow reporters, we appreciated every aspect of the story.