Newly released video footage shows U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents telling 16-year-old Mexican teenager Cruz Velazquez to drink from a bottle of liquid methamphetamine at a border checkpoint in San Diego, causing him to die from an acute drug overdose. In 2013, the teenager was crossing from Tijuana to California with two bottles of what he claimed was apple juice. The video shows the border agents, who suspected the liquid was liquid meth, repeatedly encouraging the teenager to drink from it and prove he wasn’t lying. Minutes after the teenager sipped on the liquid, his body began convulsing, and he began shouting "my heart" in Spanish. He passed away shortly after. The agents only tested the liquid after Cruz took several sips and began overdosing. The officers were never disciplined. Critics say Velazquez’s case is just the latest example of rampant abuse and mistreatment by border agents. We speak with John Carlos Frey, two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker. His new investigation is titled "Life and Death at the Border." The project was conducted in partnership with ABC’s "20/20."
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on nearly 1,400 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9AM ET: https://democracynow.org
Tags:
Comment
Best guide to hip hop, soul, reggae concerts & events in San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles & New York City + music, videos, radio and more
Jack Harlow
Friday, Sept 18 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Ravi Coltrane
Saturday, Sept 19 @ UC Theatre, Berkeley
Kruder & Dorfmeister
Friday, Sept 25 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Erykah Badu
Sunday, Sept 27 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
Jungle
Wednesday, Oct 7 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
ScHoolboy Q
Friday, Oct 16 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Hugel
Saturday, Nov 7 @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
Bonobo
Saturday, Nov 14 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Pretty Lights
Thursday-Sunday, Nov 19-21 @ Fox Theater, Oakland
Ozomatli
Saturday, Nov. 21 @ UC Theatre, Berkeley
© 2026 Created by Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist.
Powered by
You need to be a member of True Skool Network to add comments!
Join True Skool Network