Melissa del Bosque

Melissa del Bosque joined The Texas Observer staff in 2008. She specializes in reporting on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. Her work has been published in national and international publications including TIME magazine and the Mexico City-based Nexos magazine. She has a master’s in public health from Texas A&M University and a master’s in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.

Observer Panel at SXSW Interactive: Tweeting the Drug War (Video)Mar 14, 2013
What can the most censored state in Mexico teach others about freedom of expression during a devastating drug war? Full Story

The Deadliest Place In MexicoDec 22, 2012
To reach the deadliest place in Mexico, you take Carretera Federal 2, a well-paved stretch of highway that begins at the outskirts of Juarez, east for 50 miles along the Rio Grande, passing through cotton and alfalfa fields until you reach the rural Juarez Valley, said to have the highest murder rate in the country, if not the world. Full Story
A Movement Grows in Texas to Seek Justice in MexicoDec 13, 2012
Two years ago, Juan Fraire Escobedo sought political asylum in Texas after the assassination of his mother Marisela Escobedo and the murder of [...] Full Story
Notorious Polluters Sponsor a Conference for Environmental JournalistsDec 11, 2012
In October, while finishing up my story “Kochworld” on oil refineries in Corpus Christi owned by billionaires Charles and David Koch I received an [...] Full Story
General Scales Still Angry Over Reception of 2011 Texas Report on Narco TerroristsDec 10, 2012
General Scales is still smarting from criticism he received last year from both Texas congressmen and the media after releasing his report “Texas Border Security: A Strategic Military Assessment." Full Story
Q&A with Mary Cuddehe, Author of a Probing Investigation into the Death of Jaime ZapataNov 28, 2012
Melissa del Bosque interviews Marry Cuddehe, the first journalist to take an in-depth look into the mysterious shooting of ICE agent Jaime Zapata in Mexico. Full Story

The Priest Who Travels With BodyguardsApr 29, 2013
Father Alejandro Solalinde isn't well known in the United States. But in Mexico, he is recognized for his bravery. He dares to speak out about corrupt government officials, and organized crime, and he shelters migrants from the cartels. Full Story
Why Blog del Narco Became Mexico’s Most Important WebsiteApr 03, 2013
As Mexico’s media outlets stopped reporting on the cartels and the government remained silent, Blog del Narco, launched in March 2010, began to fill the void. Full Story
The Deadliest Place In MexicoApr 01, 2013
The Observer’s Melissa del Bosque was named a finalist today for a National Magazine Award for this story. Full Story
The Shadow of the SonMar 27, 2013
Can Sheriff Lupe Treviño's legacy survive the indictments and accusations of corruption in his department? Full Story
If It Were Up To Us…Jan 06, 2013
We detail a dozen items that deal with the biggest problems in the state. Some of them are liberal fantasies (ahem, income tax) but others are sound public policy ideas that Texans of all ideologies support because they would improve the lives of millions of people. Full Story