This is an I-Heart podcast.

Today's episode is a little different.

It's the first of two bonus conversations, moments that take us behind the story,

to understand how the Legion of Christ operated, not just as a religious

order, but as a silent, all-encompassing power. Sometimes I forget how much power Marseille

and the Legion once had in Mexico. It wasn't just about faith or education. It was political,

economic and cultural. They built an empire, universities for the elite, schools for the next generation

of movers and shakers, and organizations that looked untouchable from the outside.

But what they really controlled wasn't just institutions. It was the story, their story, and who got to tell it.

For decades, that control reached deep into the media. Editors, reporters,

publishers, everyone knew the red lines, the invisible limit between what could be said

about Massiel and what couldn't. His name opened doors and it closed them too. Crossing him could mean

losing everything, a job, a reputation, a career, and silence was bought and sold like currency.

Even now, journalism in Mexico can feel like walking a

tightrope. Many who tried to question the powerful, learn that truth could be dangerous. And when

it came to Marseille, few dared to ask questions at all. One of the few people who dared to challenge

that power was journalist Syro Gomez-Leva. He's been reporting for more than 40 years,

politics, organized crime, corruption. He's seen what happens when you push too far

and what telling the truth can cost you.

This is a bonus episode of Sacred Scandal.

The next two episodes will be different.

There are conversations, interviews with people

...