Inside the World of Assassins, Drug Lords, and the Woman Who Interviews Them - Mariana van Zeller

I went into this interview a little nervous - because let’s be honest, Mariana van Zeller is famously serious. She interviews assassins, drug lords, traffickers, and people living in the darkest corners of the world. I was fully prepared for an intense, heavy conversation. Instead… we laughed. A lot. This episode ended up being funny, warm, surprising, and genuinely joyful - while still being jaw-dropping. Mariana shares what it was like moving to Syria right out of college to become a reporter, the surreal moments of being picked up in the middle of the night, blindfolded, and driven somewhere unknown, and an interview where she wasn’t allowed to bring a phone and had no idea where she was going. We also talk about the personal side of a life spent taking massive risks - how her husband and family support her completely, how she manages fear, and what it really takes to walk into dangerous spaces with empathy instead of ego. This conversation reminded me that the bravest people aren’t hardened - they’re human, curious, and often unexpectedly funny. Mariana is all of that and more, and this ended up being one of my favorite interviews I’ve ever done.

Listen to Mariana's Podcast The Hidden Third HERE

Produced by Dear Media

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