The Pugilist with Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is rated Left-Center with Mixed factual reporting by Media Bias Fact Check.
QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing of credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- Overall, we rate ALISA WRITES / The Pugilist with Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez Left-Center biased based on its focus on civil liberties, institutional abuse, surveillance, corruption, and criticism of right-leaning authoritarian politics. We rate it Mixed for factual reporting and Questionable due to the promotion of unverified conspiracy claims involving Epstein, directed-energy weapons, espionage networks, and secret communications systems, despite the author’s legitimate journalism background.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Conspiracy, Propaganda, Unproven Claims
Bias Rating: LEFT-CENTER (-4.1)
Factual Reporting: MIXED (6.1)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
ALISA WRITES / The Pugilist with Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is a Substack newsletter written by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, an American journalist, novelist, and author. According to the newsletter’s About page, the publication features essays, criticism, investigative journalism, politics, history, culture, and reporting focused heavily on New Mexico. Valdes-Rodriguez states that she is a former staff writer for The Boston Globe and The Los Angeles Times and describes the newsletter as investigative journalism focused on power, corruption, and stories institutions do not want told.
Read our profile on the United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
The newsletter is owned and operated by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez through Substack. Revenue is generated through paid subscriptions, reader support, tips, book-related income, and other independent writer revenue streams.
Analysis / Bias
ALISA WRITES / The Pugilist publishes from a generally left-of-center perspective, with emphasis on civil liberties, surveillance, institutional corruption, press freedom, abuse of power, and criticism of law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and political elites. For example, SURVEILLANCE IN AMERICA IS ABOUT TO GET A WHOLE LOT WORSE criticizes license-plate-reader technology and government surveillance, relying on civil-liberties framing and concerns about authoritarian misuse. This article is opinionated but grounded in a real public policy issue.
However, much of the publication’s recent reporting on Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch contains highly speculative and conspiratorial claims. In The US Attorney for New Mexico Who Wrongly Prosecuted a Taiwanese Scientist for Espionage — but Ignored a Pedophile Who Was Probably a Spy for Israel, Valdes-Rodriguez alleges that Epstein was likely an intelligence asset connected to Israeli espionage and New Mexico’s nuclear infrastructure. While the article references public records, court documents, and historical events, it draws broad conclusions that are not established by the evidence presented.
Similarly, EPSTEIN’S MICROWAVE RADIO TOWERS Part Two alleges that Epstein operated a secret communications network tied to microwave towers, satellite systems, military infrastructure, and media figures. The article includes records-based details, such as FCC registrations and corporate connections, but repeatedly advances speculative conclusions using phrases such as “I believe” and “that might be coincidence. Or not.” These claims are not supported by independent confirmation from credible or official sources.
A separate Yahoo News report summarized Valdes-Rodriguez’s claim that she was fleeing the United States after alleged directed-energy-weapons attacks related to her Epstein reporting. The report states that there is no known public evidence supporting those allegations. Claims involving directed-energy attacks, secret intelligence networks, and hidden Epstein-linked communications systems require extraordinary evidence, and the available material does not meet that standard.
Overall, the publication mixes legitimate background research and public-record references with unsupported conclusions, conspiratorial framing, and serious allegations that lack independent verification. This warrants a Mixed factual rating and a Questionable classification.
Failed Fact Checks
- None found by IFCN-approved fact-checkers. However, the absence of fact checks does not resolve the credibility concerns because several major claims remain unverified and are presented without sufficient independent corroboration.
Overall, we rate ALISA WRITES / The Pugilist with Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez Left-Center biased based on its focus on civil liberties, institutional abuse, surveillance, corruption, and criticism of right-leaning authoritarian politics. We rate it Mixed for factual reporting and Questionable due to the promotion of unverified conspiracy claims involving Epstein, directed-energy weapons, espionage networks, and secret communications systems, despite the author’s legitimate journalism background. (D. Van Zandt 06/21/2026)
Source: https://alisav.substack.com/
Last Updated on June 21, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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