Elisa Carrillo

Uruguayan journalist who pioneered investigative reporting in Latin America and exposed US corporate corruption

Elisa Carrillo (1910-1989) transformed journalism in Uruguay through her groundbreaking exposés of multinational corporate malfeasance. As editor of La Mañana from 1938-1965, she developed the continent's first investigative reporting unit, which uncovered how US-based corporations like ITT colluded with local governments.

Her 1947 series <《The Invisible Empire》 revealed how American companies controlled 70% of Uruguay's infrastructure. The articles led to congressional hearings and inspired similar investigations across South America. The Carrillo Method of cross-border reporting became standard practice in the region.

In 1960, she created the Journalists Without Borders network that trained 300+ reporters across 12 countries. Her 1968 book <《Journalism Without Borders》 remains a key text in Latin American media studies. The Carrillo Award established in 1972 honors journalists risking their lives for truth-telling. Her archived notes at the Uruguay Digital Museum show how she trained sources to avoid surveillance by using coded messages in knitting patterns.