In this episode of the Chile Wire, host Abenicio Baldonado sits down with Sarah Hetemi, State Director for Americans for Prosperity–New Mexico (AFP-NM), for a forward-looking conversation about New Mexico’s present and future.

Sarah shares AFP-NM’s priorities and vision for a state where opportunity thrives, families prosper, and bureaucratic barriers to growth are removed. Together, we break down what’s holding New Mexico back from reaching its full potential and discuss how common sense solutions can put our state on a stronger path.

We also dive into the positive impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill, exploring how it empowers New Mexico taxpayers, encourages economic freedom, and opens doors for long-term prosperity. Sarah highlights AFP-NM’s statewide Protect Prosperity & Defend Taxpayers Tour, aimed at engaging communities, educating residents, and building momentum for a more prosperous New Mexico.

Tune in for insight, inspiration, and a clear look at the opportunities waiting for New Mexico, should we choose to let prosperity win.

In this deeply moving episode of The Chile Wire, we sit down with Sam and Raul Vigil, who share their family’s heartbreaking story of loss and resilience. Sam’s wife and Raul’s mother, Jacqueline Vigil, was tragically murdered outside her Albuquerque home—a loss that shook their family and community to its core.

The Vigils open up about their painful journey for justice and how local policies, including Albuquerque’s sanctuary city stance, have allowed repeat offenders to remain on our streets. They reflect on how President Trump’s administration stepped in, deploying federal resources that ultimately led to the arrest and conviction of Jacqueline’s killer.

Through their story, Sam and Raul deliver a powerful message about the urgent need for accountability within New Mexico’s justice system. They speak not only from grief, but from hope—encouraging others who have suffered at the hands of crime to come together, raise their voices, and advocate for change that protects families and restores safety to our communities.

This episode is a heartfelt reminder of the human cost of failed policies—and the strength it takes to turn tragedy into purpose.

In this episode of The Chile Wire, we sit down with Megan Rosker, Director of Admissions and Outreach at the May Center for Learning, to explore the organization’s powerful mission to ensure every child in New Mexico has the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive. Megan shares how the May Center is leading the way in addressing literacy challenges across our state—by providing specialized support for students with dyslexia and other neurodivergent learning profiles, and by training teachers to recognize and meet the needs of all learners.

From reshaping classroom instruction to advocating for early intervention and teacher empowerment, this conversation shines a light on what it takes to build a high-quality and effective education system in New Mexico.

🎧 Tune in to learn how the May Center is transforming the future of literacy—one student, one teacher, and one community at a time.

In this week’s episode of The Chile Wire, we sit down with Keon Ahghar to unpack the truth behind New Mexico’s medical malpractice crisis — and how it’s putting patients’ access to high-quality healthcare at risk.

We also breakdown the policy failures that have opened the door for out-of-state trial lawyers to swoop in, file massive lawsuits, and walk away with millions — all while our doctors, hospitals, and patients pay the price. It’s a feeding frenzy that’s bleeding our healthcare system and pushing providers out of New Mexico.

Tune in to hear how we got here, what’s really driving the crisis, and what needs to change to protect patients, not profiteers. 

This week on The Chile Wire, we sit down with Rudy Mora — former New Mexico State Police officer, current Director of Public Safety for the Pueblo of Acoma, and board member for SafeNM — to talk about one of our state’s biggest challenges: crime. 

Rudy shares what he’s seen on the front lines of law enforcement and offers an unfiltered look at the issues plaguing our communities across New Mexico.

🎙️ Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation — it’s one every New Mexican needs to hear.

Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussion of violent crimes and sexual assault that may be disturbing to some listeners.

💧 Episode 13 of the Chile Wire is here, and it’s all about one of New Mexico’s most valuable resources — water. We sit down with Jennifer Bradfute and Matthias Sayer of the newly formed WATR Alliance to dive into how New Mexico can lead the nation in recycling produced water, turning a challenge into an opportunity. From innovation to conservation, learn how this initiative could help preserve our fresh water while fueling economic growth. Tune in and discover why the future of water in New Mexico might just be brighter than we think.

This week we sit down with Don and Damara Andrade, who are sounding the alarm on explicit books circulating in our public schools. 📚 Listen in as we learn more about how parents across New Mexico are joining the movement, demanding that schools provide age-appropriate, high-quality educational content.
 
👉 This isn’t about book banning—it’s about common sense and ensuring students are protected and prepared for the future.
 
Tune in, join the conversation, and be part of the growing momentum for New Mexico’s students and families.
 
See their guide, 125+ Explicit Books in Albuquerque Public Schools, at the following link: 
https://thehitchedapologists.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/APS-School-Library-of-Explicit-Books-Donate-Edit.pdf
 
You must see it to believe it. 👀

This week on The Chile Wire, we tackle three of the spiciest stories from last week. First, New Mexico is facing a moral crisis: child fatalities tied to an under resourced CYFD continue to rise—how did we get here, and who will take responsibility? Next, the redistricting of Texas causes tensions to rise and raises accusations of power grabs. Finally, we pull back the curtain on an event being hosted by The Democratic Party of New Mexico— and the three guests they have invited to speak at the event in September. Let's just say, some of these guest speakers' comments are downright SHOCKING. From heartbreaking truths to political bombshells, this episode connects the dots on the issues that matter—and the ones they hope you won’t notice.

Join us as we discuss what it's like being a parent in 2025 with Andrea Cloak who is currently raising a one year old daughter in New Mexico. This episode turns out to be a doozy as we learn what types of books are circulating in our public libraries. Andrea shares with us a book that was pointed out to her by a friend who made a recent visit to one of our public libraries. This episode contains graphic content and details regarding this book, viewer discretion is advised. 

In episode 8 of The Chile Wire, we sit down with Española City Councilor Sam LeDoux to talk about the serious allegations facing the mayor of Espanola, NM, and the broader implications for transparency and accountability in New Mexico. Join us as we dig into why fighting corruption at every level of government matters more than ever.