MORELIA. “They are taking a much bigger risk than me, they have all my respect, I can return to my country, but in Mexico they do it because they have to, if they don’t, who will?” he says. Mads Nissen, Danish photographer three times winner of the World Press Photo (2015, 2021, 2023), about the Mexican journalists who practice their profession in an environment of violence.
Visiting Michoacán, where he is investigating how the consumption of drugs and other products in his country affects the land that produces them, he says that Europe and the United States blame Latin American countries for drugs without taking responsibility for the fact that they consume them. .
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The origin of violence is inequality
In interview with The Sun of Moreliapoints out that in the more than 100 countries that he has visited as a journalist, he was able to verify that the origin of violence is inequality, “when there is that difference, there is always violence,” he said.
Tell us a little about the work that earned you the 2023 World Press Photo award
Well, many people in the world have never had hunger, They don’t know what hunger is. Not only when they don’t eat half a day, but real hungerwhen you haven’t eaten for a day, two days, but people in Afghanistan, they do know. A country that has had war for more than 20 years, occupations of armies internationalthey know what it is hunger. It is one of the countries in the world where there are more sufferingWhere are more poverty and where there is more hunger.
So last year, I went to Afghanistan to do a reportage about that situation, which is one of the most difficult in the world today, the suffering in Afghanistanhunger in Afghanistan and the lack of human rights in Afghanistan, now that the representatives of the international community have left and now all they have is the regime of the Taliban.
What is the issue that is moving you here in Mexico?
I have worked in America latin for many years, but this is my first time in Mexico. For me it is very interesting to see what is happening here with the human rights. I have arrived in Mexico to do a story, a report about the situation here now. How is the securityhow is the political and social situationand above all, the human rights.
What is the influence… And since I come from Denmarkin Europehow Europeans and North Americans influence the situation here, for example, the avocadothe bananas. We are in a connected world, so what we are doing in Europe It has an impact here in Mexico.
How do you see Latin America in this issue of Human Rights? Mexico is one of the countries to practice journalism, many journalists have died in the country. How do you see it from your point of view?
Mexico It is one of the countries in the world where they kill more journalistswhere human rights are in a very difficult place.
That’s it all Latin America, But I think the world is connected, so not only as Europeans… For too long Europeans have looked at Latin America like, why are you doing that and that? Why is the situation so difficult? I believe that the time has come when Europeans, transnational companies, have to take responsibility… Europe, USA They have to see what impact we have on the situation here.
I am here to investigate that, what is the international connection: the bananas that the Europeansthe avocados that Europeans buy, the flowers, the drug that Europeans consume; What impact do they have here, because in my opinion, for too long the Europeans, but also the Americans, are looking Latin Americathey are looking at Mexico and blaming Mexicoand blaming America Latina without taking the responsibility for what they consume, because who is doing all those drugs?
The market is over there (Europe), Who doesn’t want to pay anything for their bananas? Who doesn’t want to pay anything for their coffee? Who doesn’t want to pay anything for their avocado? It’s the Europeans. That is why I am here as a European to see what the effect of our actions is. for a land like this.
Mexico is one of the countries in the world where the most journalists are killed, where human rights are in a very difficult place.
Mads Nissen, Danish photographer
How much is poverty affecting people entering into criminal activities?
Look, I have traveled almost 100 countries in the world and if you ask people, everyone wants peace, but what is the cause of war? What is the reason that there is no peace?, what is the cause of the violence?
Many times it is the povertythis inequality who believes differences between the richest and the poorestand when there is that inequality there is always violence.
Sometimes it’s political, sometimes it’s religious, sometimes it’s cartels, criminals. So when there is that difference, there is always violence.
In my opinion and my experience in so many countries, if you do not want violence you have to find a solution to inequality, more opportunities for people who come from the most vulnerable neighborhoods and we have to put more taxes on the people who have the most, taxes on the people who are the richest.
It may be that we reach a place in the world where they are paid a little more for the benefit of society. That’s not unfair, that’s democracylet’s build a society with more equalityIt is also good for people who have more because a calmer society with more peace and more possibilities for everyone will also come to them.
What stories are you interested in telling?
I am interested in stories of what politicalof injustice social, economic and investigate how the world is connected, globalization. How the Danes in my own country are consuming drugs, they are consuming cocaine that affects Michoacán.
I believe that if you want to change society you have to change the culture. Culture in many societies, not just here in Mexicobut also in Londonin NYis a drug culture that have their songs, their flag, their logos.
How safe do you feel doing work in Mexico?
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The situation for journalists here in Mexico is very difficult, too hard. As a foreigner I need to take care of myself, I am doing what I can to take care of myself, but I believe that lor the more difficult the more dangerous it is for Mexican journalists, Those who are here working every day for very little salary, receive very little, yet they are fighting every morning for a society better, for truth, for justice. They are taking a much bigger risk than I am.
All my respect to the Mexican journalistsbecause I can return to my country where the situation is different, but there are certain journalists here in Mexico they are doing it because it’s their turn, because otherwise who would do it.