On Sept. 30, 2010, the South American nation of Ecuador descended into chaos. The national police force had hit the streets in a large protest demanding better benefits. Ecuador’s brash and theatrical authoritarian leader Rafael Correa cracked down on the protesting police and cut media coverage, leaving the nation’s citizens wondering what happened. In the aftermath, Ecuador’s largest newspaper, El Universo, published an opinion piece demanding answers, and Correa went after the newspaper, threatening prison time and millions of dollars in fines. The Drag, the podcast production house behind the hit true crime podcasts “Darkness: The Orange Tree” and “Austin Bomber,” tells the story of the newspaper family that fought back against a tyrant, with dire implications for their family and for press freedom across the Americas.
