"As foreign correspondents, we never cease seeking the answers we need"

Originally from Venezuela, Jorge Agobian is a multimedia journalist, producer, and member of the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents (AFC-USA). During his career, he’s covered the international perspective on issues within the United States and the Department of State and Congress in Washington D.C. Currently, he reports on US politics and foreign relations in the Western Hemisphere as a White House Correspondent for the Spanish division of Voice of America. He spoke with the AFC-USA about his career and journalism in his home country. 

As a foreign correspondent, what was the experience like coming from Venezuela to report in America? How does working as a journalist in South America compare to working in North America?

The reality of journalism in each South American country is different. The case of Venezuela is one of the worst. I left Venezuela at a moment when mainstream media were being bought by people linked to the government, making the state hegemony even bigger. My last experience as a journalist in Venezuela is unpleasant. I was investigating how law enforcement officials were involved in organized crime groups. They harassed me and persecuted me because they didn't like what I was doing. That's why I landed in the United States, where I found myself, I think for the first time in my life, with ‘freedom of the press.’ 

You focus your reporting on U.S. politics, foreign relations, and Latin American issues. Why do you believe these topics are important to cover?

In Latin America, there is a lot of interest not only in what happens in the United States but what is said about those countries, especially here in Washington. That is why in my coverage as a correspondent in the White House —and before in Capitol Hill—my focus is to keep track of these issues, especially those that have to do with human rights, democracy, and migration. And in order to ask the right questions, I am very connected with what happened in those countries. 

What does the American audience not know about journalism in Venezuela that you believe they should know?

I think Americans have learned a lot about the reality of Venezuela in recent years. Perhaps because Venezuela has become a recurring topic everywhere. In Venezuela, something very dangerous happens with journalism. It is as polarized as the country itself. In situations like the one Venezuela is experiencing, it is very difficult to find a balance, especially when journalists are attacked and persecuted. The government institutionalized that "journalists are the enemies of the people" and everything they say is false. There are very few exceptions where a person in Venezuela can find two visions that exist within the country in a single outlet. The media is also at risk, with more and more attacks against the press.

What advice do you have for foreign correspondents in the USA?

We need to understand American politics well in order to inform our audience accurately. As international correspondents, our job is to provide a broad and contextualized view of what is happening. My second advice is to never stop trying to find the answers we need. If, for example, in a press conference we are not given the opportunity to ask questions simply because we are a foreign journalist, that should give us more strength to insist. Our work also makes this country great.

Why did you join the AFC-USA? What importance do you believe the role of the organization plays in the journalism community?

I think we all benefit if we are connected, and this is a good way to do it. With the experience that we all have, we can grow and make more visibility for the work that foreign correspondents do for this country, and for our countries of origin.