He became Tijuana's police chief at the height of the drug cartel wars and then moved on to become police chief in war as when it was called the murder capital of the world. Julian lights a block Comecon rates in both cities. Fixate used for an human rights abuses to do it. By Sola has paid a heavy price for his police career. He's been the subject of numerous assassination attempts and one last year left him paralyzed. Now a new documentary has been made about Lysol and is called Mexico's bravest man. I'm joined by the film's director Charlie Minn. Thank you for joining us. With that title your film sounds like it's a song of praise for Julian Leyzaola. Is your take on this man more nuanced than that? You can be brave and corrupt. Both sides are presented in this documentary. I feel that the movie is fair and balanced. I cannot tell you for sure that the man his props or the man is completely clean or both. It's a very controversial story but I do believe he saved a lot of lives because of his no-nonsense approach of not negotiating with the cartels. Remind us that Lysol at it to help turnaround the violence and were as. He does not negotiate with the cartel. He will meet them head on in the street. He literally said on your machine should in the head. This man fires police officers left and right and more as he called it the purification process. He fired 100 police officers and Juárez. Once again he backed down on his own police force as city sensed corrupting. Then officers were fired, question, and some base a work trip. He secularize the cities into six different sections for more focused attention on the spot. He increased the cars. He brought a military commanders. Very, very unique individual here lie a Perez the deadly cities in Mexico and remain alive. In an effort to combat has he made any lasting or profound impacts for police forces across Mexico? Know about across Mexico but I know you to him. Lot of trouble Mexican cities as a model and how in the world is an individual taking on the cartels and getting these positive results. He inspires his police force. The one thing he brought into the police for specified..Something that was missing all the violence is going on play viola.there he was able to fix the problems in terms of violence. Ballet Zola has been accused of human rights abuse. Some have said that he's tortured suspects. He's been reported to a very high rating human rights investigation. How do you handle that in the film? Biggest you to watch it. He's never been convicted of any crime. There's no direct evidence that proves any of these things. There's a lot of eyewitness accounts. A lot of people saying this and that. It could be true, one per father was taken away not given his job back so the Tijuana police situation was certainly troubling because all these officers were cleared the 30 to 40 that were rounded up and taken away and they did not get their jobs back. However, all charges were feared against those officers were makes Leola not look good. Keeps him was killed last year and is now paralyzed from the gunshot wound to the head. The story clear on who shot him and why? Is the shorter the shooter was arrested. He was from a gang. A criminal organization that is affiliated with the warez cartel. This makes sense to a lot of people because a lot of people thought that Leyzaola was siding with the Sinaloa Corporation because when he was in keygen warez the organization supposedly one both Air Force. Which begs the question, this is the mere coincidence or was in an organized conspiracy. So Leyzaola is now running for Tijuana mayor. The people in that city remember him fondly what did he lead a bad reputation? Its place. In warez it was a lot worse. He helped lower the murder rate 87.80% he liked Tijuana more. He is running for mayor of Tijuana and not warez. I'm not sure if you can win. If he wins it will certainly be because it is name is name only because he is not representing the pond he's representing a small party support by Christian organization that will no one June 5 that happens with this race and Tijuana is now the second most dangerous city after Acapulco to one of be interesting is lazy a lot came back as Mazer pics of violence when in the late 2000 it was as police chief. Charlie Minn film Mexico's bravest man will be screened this Sunday afternoon at UltraStar mission at hazard Center. Charlie Minn thank you so much. Leyzaola will be there for the 3 PM and 4 PM shows. Okay.
Film Screening
What: "Mexico's Bravest Man"
When: Sunday 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Where: UltraStar Mission Valley at Hazard Center
A new documentary tells the story of Tijuana's ex-Police Chief Julian Leyzaola, who survived several murder and kidnapping attempts in the cities of Tijuana and Juárez.
Credited for tackling the cartels and lowering murder rates, Leyzaola has also been accused of human-rights violations and is now running for mayor in Tijuana.
“It's a very, very controversial story, but I do believe that he saved a lot of lives in Juárez and Tijuana because of his no-nonsense approach of not negotiating with the cartels,” Charlie Minn, director of "Mexico’s Bravest Man,” told KPBS Midday Edition on Wednesday.
Minn said that Leyzaola also managed to crack down on the force itself, firing hundreds of officers in what he called a “purification process.”
“The one thing he brought into the Tijuana and Juárez police force was pride,” Minn said. “That's something that was missing while all the violence was going on.”
Minn’s documentary will be screened at UltraStar Mission Valley at Hazard Center on Sunday.
