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‘People pay to be told lies’: the rise and fall of the world’s first ayahuasca multinational episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 12, 2025 · 49 MIN

‘People pay to be told lies’: the rise and fall of the world’s first ayahuasca multinational

from The Audio Long Read · host The Guardian

Alberto Varela claimed he wanted to use sacred plant medicine to free people’s minds. But as the organisation grew, his followers discovered a darker reality. By Sam Edwards. Read by Sid Sagar. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

What this episode covers

Alberto Varela claimed he wanted to use sacred plant medicine to free people’s minds. But as the organisation grew, his followers discovered a darker reality. By Sam Edwards. Read by Sid Sagar. Help support our independent journalism at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/longreadpod">theguardian.com/longreadpod</a>

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‘People pay to be told lies’: the rise and fall of the world’s first ayahuasca multinational

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How long is this episode of The Audio Long Read?

This episode is 49 minutes long.

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This episode was published on September 12, 2025.

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Alberto Varela claimed he wanted to use sacred plant medicine to free people’s minds. But as the organisation grew, his followers discovered a darker reality. By Sam Edwards. Read by Sid Sagar. Help support our independent journalism at...

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