Ed Calderon

Calderon was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and says he grew up heavily influenced by American culture.⁠[1]

He recalls cartel shootouts erupting on local streets from the 1990s.⁠[2]

He says he was a second-year medical student when the economy slumped after September 11, and that a newspaper ad for young, unmarried people stalled in university led him into law enforcement.⁠[1]

He says he joined an “experimental new police force” in 2004.⁠[2]

He recalls training run by military officers, after which his operations group handled anti-kidnapping and counter-narcotics work, including destroying drug facilities and executing high-risk warrants.⁠[1]

When Mexico began military-backed efforts against the cartels in December 2006, he was already operational as a paramilitary law enforcement officer in Baja; for safety reasons he does not reveal details of his unit.⁠[3]

He says the unit was later infiltrated; in 2016, told he had to “work for a side” to keep his position, he resigned and drove to the United States.⁠[2]

Drawing on his firsthand experience with the cartels as a Mexican law enforcement officer, he developed a curriculum on avoiding abduction and escaping captivity; his two-day counter-custody course includes simulated kidnapping scenarios and handcuff escapes with keys and shims.⁠[4]

A course review says his classes also cover smuggling tools, weapons and communications, stress improvised field-expedient tools, and require students to research the risks of their destinations.⁠[5]

He appeared twice on The Joe RoganJoe RoganJoe Rogan is an American podcaster, stand-up comedian and UFC commentator whose long-form interview podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, launched in 2009, is among the most listened-to podcasts in the world; he hosted the NBC reality show Fear Factor, and his show’s content and political statements have repeatedly drawn controversy.Open the full entry Experience, in 2019 and 2020.⁠[2]

In early 2020 he co-taught the two-day class “Surviving Inside the Kill Zone” with Ernest Emerson of Emerson Knives, in which students had to build an improvised weapon from scavenged materials in about five minutes.⁠[6]

He also teaches Weaponology and Organic Medium Entry; Weaponology analyzes real crime-scene footage of knife attacks and teaches only three angles of attack, with no belts or course certificates.⁠[7]

In March 2021 he was described as one of the most sought-after instructors in counter-custody and improvised weapons, teaching a Counter Custody/Improvised Weapons class nationally.⁠[8]

On April 27 and 29 that year, The Jordan Harbinger Show aired a two-part interview with him (episodes 500 and 501), describing him as a “non-permissive environment specialist” and combatives instructor.⁠[9]

The second part discussed devotion to figures such as Santa Muerte on both sides of the law and cases in which different law enforcement factions in one area work for different cartels.⁠[10]

In July 2021, on a Fox News Investigates podcast, he argued that the U.S. government should treat Mexican cartels as terrorist groups, saying the killing of political candidates and mayors shows some have political motives.⁠[3]

On December 12, 2022, he appeared on episode 346 of the Lex FridmanLex FridmanLex Fridman is a Soviet-born, US-raised computer scientist and podcast host who works as an MIT research scientist on human-AI interaction and autonomous driving. His Lex Fridman Podcast is known for hours-long conversations with guests including heads of state and technology leaders.Open the full entry Podcast, discussing corruption, cartels, El Chapo, weapons, counter-ambush teams, kidnapping, escaping restraints, fentanyl and immigration.⁠[11]

In April 2024 author Jack Carr’s podcast introduced him as a security consultant, combatives instructor and Manifesto Radio host who spent more than a decade in organized crime investigation, counter-narcotics and public safety in northern Mexico and worked security details for senior officials and visiting dignitaries.⁠[12]

As of October 2026 his website says he travels North America doing security consulting and teaching seminars and private courses in anti-abduction, escapology, unarmed combat, region-specific executive protection and unconventional edged weapons, and that he has shared his expertise with members of the FBI, BORTAC and the Navy SEALs.⁠[13]

His podcast Manifesto Radio describes its content as coming straight from Tijuana.⁠[14]

Personal website: Public link: https://edsmanifesto.com/ (opens in a new window)⁠[11]

X: Public account: https://x.com/eds_manifesto (opens in a new window)⁠[11]

Instagram: Public account: https://www.instagram.com/manifestoradiopodcast/ (opens in a new window)⁠[13]