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Jacob Kessler

A curated selection of my journalism,
produced during my time in South America.

The China Project •

An embattled Chinese mine in Peru faces its latest challenge

On April 20, the widows and children of five deceased miners in Peru gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Lima. “Murderer Shougang: pay reparations to the widows,” they chanted.

Their husbands had worked at the Chinese state-owned Shougang Hierro Mine in Marcona, a city about 520 kilometers southeast of Lima. During the COVID-19 pandemic, at least 20 workers died from the virus, and now the wives of these workers are demanding compensation, arguing that Shougang’s inadequate safety protocols make them responsible for their late husbands’ deaths.
Al Jazeera •

Mass arrest at LGBTQ club in Venezuela prompts outcry over discrimination

It was an otherwise ordinary night at the Avalon Club, a bar and sauna popular with the LGBTQ community in Valencia, Venezuela’s third-largest city. Music was playing, drinks were flowing and guests were enjoying the accommodations, which included a restaurant, smoking room and massage parlour. But that evening, on July 23, police would burst into the club, propelling the venue and its patrons into the national spotlight — and sparking questions about LGBTQ discrimination in Venezuela.
The China Project •

The Brazil-China relationship, as seen through the BRICS bank

A lot of the controversy surrounding Jabbour’s hiring initially focused on an interview he did on Inteligência Ltda, a popular Brazilian podcast. “During the entire Bolsonaro administration and last election [in 2022], [Jabbour] shared his opinions against the administration by participating in a lot of podcasts, including some that are very conservative,” Rafael Abrão, a Brazilian researcher with the International Institute for Asian Studies, told The China Project. Former president Jair Bolson
Jewish Telegraphic Agency •

Israelis flock to this tiny town in Peru for vacation — and psychedelic spirituality

PISAC, Peru (JTA) — About 20 miles northeast of the tourist capital of Cusco, the small Peruvian town of Pisac sits nestled among the verdant Andes Mountains. Lined with cobblestone streets and two-story adobe houses, the town offers a distinct blend of ancient Incan culture and breathtaking landscapes.

Pisac’s main square, Plaza de Armas, is often filled with Indigenous women pulling alpacas, local art dealers selling their handmade artisanal wares and kids playing soccer — nothing out of the
Jewish Telegraphic Agency •

Paraguay’s election has implications for its Israeli embassy — and its relationship with Jerusalem

The question of where countries keep their embassies in Israel has become a debate that perpetually attracts controversy around the globe. In Paraguay, ahead of a national election on Sunday, the question is far from decided.

Since former President Donald Trump moved the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, a few other countries have followed suit, agreeing with much of Israel’s political establishment that the latter city, despite international and Palestinian opp

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About Me

I am a freelance journalist based in Peru. I cover human rights and current events in the region. As a Next-Generation Journalist with the American Mandarin Society, I also write about Chinese influence and investment in South America.

Skills

I speak Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. I gather and mix sound which I collect from the field to produce radio packages. 

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