Skip to Content
Video

A Raw Interview with Ed’s Manifesto About Tijuana’s Narco-Violence, Tacos, and Its Ska-Punk Scene

"Tijuana is the closest thing that the U.S. has to the Wild West."

What is it about Tijuana that keeps you going back? This sentence by Ed Calderón in our latest Youtube interview with him perfectly sums it up. The more you go to Tijuana, the more you understand it, but more importantly the more you respect it and learn to navigate its complex taco universe as safely as you can. You can't hide the fact that since this interview was filmed earlier this year,  two different journalists were killed in Tijuana, respectively. After all, since 2020, Mexico remains to be one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists to work and live in.

After eating our way through the best of Tijuana's not-so-touristy tacos, L.A. TACO sat down with Tijuana's native son, Ed Calderón, for a one-on-one interview in an undisclosed location in Tijuana to talk about his safety as a commentator on Mexico's thriving narco-violence, his skater-punk youth, and of why he keeps going back despite it all.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

L.A TACO’s 2026 Guide To Free Summer Concerts in L.A.

Los Lobos, Keyshia Cole, DJ Quik, Kurupt, The Paranoias, Jungle Fire, and Delfonics are among the many artists you can catch for free in L.A. this summer, if you know where to look. Just don't look at that Rivers Cuomo too closely.

A Ninja Turtles-Themed Pizzeria with a Serious New York Slice

Take it from a California-raised food writer who did ten years in NYC, these slices slaughter the competition like a sai to Shredder's face.

June 12, 2026

When Pedro Arrests Juan: Why Latinos Join Border Patrol and ICE 

Many Latino families inherited the same lesson generation after generation: When society views you as foreign, proving your Americanness can become its own form of survival.

June 11, 2026

Daily Memo: Ms. Rachel Visits D.C. With 545 Letters From Children Currently Being Detained By I.C.E.

Speaking of children, Jacob Soboroff reports that ICE is holding an average of at least 25 children a day who are three or under. There have been at least 500 babies and toddlers who have spent significant time in ICE detention.

He Went To Celebrate The Lakers Win. And Came Home With His Arm Broken By LAPD.

In 2022, Pablo Vera sued the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD for excessive force and violating his civil rights. Six years after the alleged attack, Vera finally had his day in court.

How Everyone Can Use This ‘Red Card’ to Assert Allyship With Immigrants

While the cards have notably been available to neighbors in immigrant communities and for the use of undocumented individuals in the U.S., the Immigrant Legal Resource Center suggests that everyone should carry one, regardless of their immigration status.

June 10, 2026
See all posts