San Diego, July 22, 2009 .- Grupo Salinas and TV Azteca Tijuana hosted the Institute of the Americas during a five-day journalism workshop on investigative journalism organized by the Institute this week for journalists from Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru and Venezuela.

The seminar is held at the Institute of the Americas, on the campus of University of California, San Diego, with a day-long session in Tijuana. TV Azteca Tijuana gave participants a close look at an active television newsroom, hosted by TV Azteca Tijuana Director and local anchor Pablo Latapi, as well as News Director Marisa Constantini, Reporter Fidel Mier, and TV Azteca Director for Baja California Diego Ricardo Pérez.

“We’re excited to be working with TV Azteca Tijuana on this workshop that gives journalists from throughout the Americas a unique insight into some of the most challenging areas of investigative reporting,” said Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, President of The Institute of the Americas.

“We at Grupo Salinas, and especially TV Azteca, are committed to fulfilling the mandate of our Chairman Ricardo Salinas Pliego in promoting freedom of expression throughout the Americas. We thank Amb. Davidow and the entire staff of TV Azteca Tijuana for making this happen,” said Luis J. Echarte, Chairman of Fundacion Azteca America and Azteca America Network.

The investigative journalism workshop, which is directed by Institute of the Americas Vice President S. Lynne Walker, includes presentations by Catalina Botero, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression for the Organization of American States, and Baja California Gov. Jose Osuna Millan.

Other speakers included the founder of Sentidocomun.com; the founder of TijuanaPress.com; an immigration reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune; the director of the Bi-National Center for Human Rights in Tijuana and a high-ranking official with the Baja California Attorney General's Office.

“Tijuana is in the eye of the hurricane when it comes to cross-border investigative reporting and we are pleased to be able to share our experiences with the distinguished group brought together by the Institute,” said Pablo Latapí, Director of TV Azteca Tijuana.