On October 5, 2017, police opened fire on unarmed farmers in Tumaco, Colombia. Eight were killed, with dozens more shot. The massacre was part of a crackdown on coca farmers in the “War On Drugs” despite an agreement for crop substitution–and amidst new threats from Trump, ordering the government to use more force or face consequences.

The Empire Files goes on-the-ground to investigate the massacre, interviewing witnesses and casualties. Abby Martin visits recently-destroyed farms, uses hidden cameras to confront soldiers about the operations, and explores the context of such a killing less than a year after the historic peace deal ending the country’s 53-year civil war.

FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles & @AbbyMartin

WATCH // YouTube.com/EmpireFiles

A new phenomenon has emerged in the United States: 64,000 people died in 2016 of a drug overdose—with 80% from opioids—with levels of addiction nearly 500% higher over the last six years.

Behind this epidemic is a multi-billion dollar industry, that feeds drug manufacturing giants, distributers and more.

With the US government failing to address the crisis, one law firm has taken to a massive lawsuit. Head of that case is Mike Papantonio, who also won major lawsuits against big tobacco, chemical corporations and more. Abby Martin interviews him about this new suit, and why he is pushing for many executives to go to jail.

FOLLOW //@EmpireFiles// @AbbyMartin //@telesurenglish

LIKE // Empire Files

After uncovering total failure by the U.S. government to meet the needs of communities suffering in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Abby Martin meets the people who filled the void.

Speaking with volunteers who mobilized from out-of-state, to community leaders who organized relief efforts, this final installment of the Empire Files’ investigation shows how people came together to replace the failures of the system.

Featuring interviews with anarchist Scott Crow of the Common Ground Collective, the Black Women’s Defense League, Altruist Relief Kitchen and other autonomous decentralized relief groups.

WATCH PART I :: http://bit.ly/2invinm

WATCH PART II :: http://bit.ly/2yDhWKQ

FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin // @telesurenglish

LIKE // Empire Files

Nov. 7, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the seizure of power by workers and peasants in the Russian Revolution, regarded as the most world-altering event in the history of civilization.

To understand the context of this first socialist experiment, how it happened and what caused the many problems it faced, Abby Martin sits down with Brian Becker, long-time socialist organizer and co-author of the new book “Storming the Gates: How the Russian Revolution Changed the World.”

FOLLOW // @EmpireFiles // @AbbyMartin // @BrianBeckerDC

LIKE // Empire Files