Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast

In our last episode we wondered what would be President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first crisis, well we didn’t have to wait long. In her first week, the newly inaugurated Mexican president has had to face security challenges, the impact of hurricanes, and a coup plot by the Supreme Court of Justice. In the latest episode of the Soberanía podcast co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss Sheinbaum’s efforts to tackle the many challenges facing Mexico. Plus we introduce a new segment: Good News from Mexico. As always, bring you the Losers and Haters, this week we pick on a writer from the pro-billionaire American Institute for Economic Research.

Mexico has a new president: Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. In this latest episode, co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth go over her first speeches as president on Oct 1, first in the Congress and later in Mexico City’s Zócalo, where the president outlined her 100-point agenda to a roaring and enthusiastic crowd. Plus, the mañaneras (daily morning press conferences by the president) are here to stay! Kurt and José Luis chat about Sheinbaum’s own touch on this critical communications exercise. And in our Loser and Haters section, we discuss the NED-funded Journal of Democracy’s latest attack on Mexican democracy.

From storming the Senate Chamber to attacking elected officials out in public, supporters of the political right in Mexico are increasingly turning to extreme forms of protest. In this latest episode, co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth analyze this worrisome trend and compare the opposition’s disarray to Morena’s stability, having just organized the party’s congress that saw a new leadership elected. Plus we listen to Claudia Sheinbaum’s last speech before becoming president and look into a CIA agent’s gross and abusive behavior while he was stationed in Mexico and what it says about the sense of impunity of these agents while working abroad for US agencies.

In the face of the defeat, Mexico’s political opposition is taking desperate measures. They have dragged out former neoliberal President Ernesto Zedillo (of the corrupt PRI) to speak out against the Judicial Reform. Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss this and the opposition’s virtual collapse after yet another loss, as well as the symbolism of AMLO signing the decree officially modifying the Constitution on September 15, Mexican Independence Day. In our Losers and Haters section, we look at a recently launched international campaign to discredit Mexican democracy and the Fourth Transformation.

Soberanía takes a deep dive into Morena’s Judicial Reform. Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth start by providing an overview of what the constitutional reform actually intends to accomplish. We also talk about the unhinged response by some members of the opposition to the push to approve the reform; as well as a response to the Washington Post by two of Claudia Sheinbaum’s incoming cabinet members. Plus, Supreme Court President Norma Piña finally leaves the comfort of her office and joins the protests (for about 5 minutes). In our Losers and Haters section: the Mexican Winter Palace has fallen and the Bolsheviks led by Marxist-Leninist Sheinbaum threaten to destroy bourgeois democracy!

Morena did it. Their presence in the Senate has risen to 85 after two defections from the moribund PRD. In this episode Soberanía co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth ask what Morena's Supermajority means for Mexico and the deepening of the Fourth Transformation? Plus a report back from our participation in the 1st Continental Gathering of Independent Communicators held in Mexico City, as well as our on-the-ground coverage of President López Obrador’s final state of the union address. We also look at the latest on Ovidio Guzmán's whereabouts; and our Losers and Haters section looks at one foreign correspondent’s outright dishonesty.

After repeatedly interfering in Mexico’s internal affairs, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told US Ambassador Ken Salazar to keep his nose out of the country’s business. In this episode Soberanía co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss Salazar’s inappropriate comments on the judicial reform that is being debated in Congress. Plus a look at Mexico’s fringe opposition and their participation in the CPAC Mexico conference alongside an AI Ronald Reagan. Kurt and José Luis also provide an update on the opposition’s failed efforts to stop Morena’s supermajority. And as always, in our Loser and Haters segment, we look at the Washington Post’s editorial arguing that the US is right (!!) to interfere in Mexico’s internal affairs.

Is the United States backing the Mexican opposition via the NED and the US Embassy’s funding of the NGO “Mexicanos Contra la Corruption y la Impunidad”? A new report from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggests the CIA cutout National Endowment for Democracy says Mexico is “major target country for infiltration” and US funding bothered President Andres Manuel López Obrador so much that he sent a diplomatic letter to Joe Biden. Soberanía co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth breakdown how the US uses NGOs to promote regime change against leftist governments. Plus an update on constitutional reforms that will see fracking and open-pit mining banned in Mexico and of course news on the hotly debated judicial reform. Kurt and also José Luis also have a discussion on the attempted illegal detention of former Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral. Finally, in our Losers and Haters section, we look at Andrés Oppenheimer’s rehashed column on Claudia Sheinbaum’s upcoming inauguration.

Mexico’s Morena-led government continues to push ahead to fulfill the mandate delivered by the voters, Soberanía co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss the country’s historic debt to Indigenous and afro-descendant peoples and the approval of a monumental (and long overdue) constitutional reform that would make Indigenous communities the subjects of rights under the constitution, grant their traditional governance standing in the law, and the right to decide what activities occur in their territories. Plus at the start of the show, a conversation on yet another own goal by the Mexican political opposition, despite being highly publicized, the “Marea Rosa” rally had a poor turnout, inadvertently revealing their declining relevance. Kurt and José Luis also give an update on the Mayo Zambada case and in our Loser and Haters section we take down yet another effort to label AMLO an “autocrat” from yet another ITAM alum.

Voters delivered a strong mandate to Claudia Sheinbaum who promised to build the “second floor” of the Fourth Transformation of Mexico, and deepen progressive changes. Morena and its allies in Congress are already quickly moving to deliver but the opposition wants to change the rules of the game after the final whistle. In this episode, Soberanía co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss Morena’s moves to push forward progressive constitutional reforms on housing, the minimum wages, social programs and more. Plus the latest on the situation in Venezuela and President López Obrador’s positive role defending sovereignty in the region in the face of aggression; as well as a brief update on Mexico’s diplomatic dispute with Ecuador.