On this special Independence Day episode of Soberanía, we dive into President Claudia Sheinbaum’s historic first Grito, Mexico’s growing sense of optimism, and the stark contrast with a United States gripped by fear, censorship, and violence. We also unpack reports of CIA activity in Mexico, Trump’s drone strikes near Venezuela, and what Washington’s doctrine of extrajudicial killings could mean for Mexico’s sovereignty. Finally, in Losers and Haters, those in the press - and think tanks - who would whitewash US aggression in the region.

Hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth dive into the major stories shaping Mexican politics this week. They begin with Mexico’s 2026 budget proposal, examining what Claudia Sheinbaum’s second budget means for banks, Pemex, and social spending. Next, they break down the Sheinbaum administration's crackdown on "huachicol fiscal", the fuel smuggling and tax evasion scheme, analyzing the timing of the operation and why ending impunity is essential to protect public resources. They then turn to culture and politics at Saturday's concert of Residente in Mexico City, where a massive free show in the Zócalo transformed into a powerful moment of solidarity with Palestine, with refugees and the Palestinian ambassador joining the singer on stage. Finally, in their regular segment "Losers and Haters", they analyze how billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego and TV Azteca are using AI-generated videos to twist the legacy of Benito Juárez into neoliberal propaganda as part of the magnate's wishful-thinking political ambitions.

On this episode of Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth unpack Mexico’s historic September 1st, when the country inaugurated its first Supreme Court chosen by popular vote and President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered her first State of the Union address.They also look at U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s visit to Mexico and Washington’s pressure campaign, Mexico–Brazil ties and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and PRI boss Alito “Vandalito” Moreno’s violent antics in Congress. The show closes with the Losers and Haters segment, this week focusing on Human Rights Watch.👉 Context, analysis, and a closer look at how Mexico’s transformation is reshaping politics at home and abroad.

In this episode of Soberanía, hosts Kurt Hackbarth and José Luis Granados Ceja break down Senator Lilly Téllez’s call for U.S. intervention in Mexico during a Fox News appearance - an act which many in Mexico equate with treason. They also fact-check the DEA’s recent false claims (or more bluntly, "pulling it out of their a**) about a supposed joint project with Mexico, exposing how narratives get manufactured in a way that resembles a certain Dr Strangelove. Kurt and José Luis also discuss Ken Klippenstein’s three-part series on U.S. invasion plans targeting Mexico, and how much credence to give to a clear trail of leaking that began with last week's Rolling Stone piece. Then, in their regular Losers and Haters segment, our hosts take apart the Baker Institute’s deeply flawed report on Mexico, with breathless wonder at its ability to be disproven so thoroughly and quickly. And finally: a preview of coming attractions on "Soberanía," with a trailer introducing a brand-new segment!

Poverty is down...and opposition justifications are up. In the latest episode of Soberanía - following the introduction of Jose Luis' new toy - our intrepid hosts discuss the remarkable findings from the INEGI's 2024 Multidimensional Poverty Report: 13.4 million Mexicans exited poverty under AMLO's watch. Even the Guardian was forced to admit it! They further discuss Mexico's expulsion (not extradition) of 26 capos to the United States in the context of ongoing negotiations over tariffs and security with the Trump administration which Rolling Stone Magazine considers to be "less like a negotiating tactic and more like a mafia-style intimidation campaign." In that vein, Kurt and José Luis assess the ongoing US military buildup in the region (serious threat or bluff?), and, in Losers and Haters, another piece of right-wing-attack-masquerading-as-left-wing-critique from the NACLA Report.

In the latest episode of Soberanía, José Luis and Kurt discuss Trump’s latest executive order against the cartels: a serious threat or more antics from a flailing administration looking to throw another helping of red at its base? Also, Canada tries to play nice with Mexico after throwing it under a bus, a notable reduction in violent crime in the first ten months of the Sheinbaum administration and, in Losers and Haters, the New York Times is back on the trail of fentanyl… except when it crosses into the United States.

Bring it! On this episode of Soberanía - with a brand-spanking-new intro and outro - Kurt and José Luis break down their experience at the second Panamerican Congress held in Mexico City. Is there any way for the peoples of the Americas to truly understand each other? Also, good economic news on three fronts: reducing poverty, rescuing PEMEX and holding tariffs at bay. Expanding the definition of "cartel" north of the Rio Grande with reports from Seth Harp (Fort Bragg) and José Olivares (Cibola County Correctional Center). And finally, a hyper-gentrified loser and hater.

In this crossover episode of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth are joined by David Griscom of Left Reckoning to unpack how militarized spending and reactionary politics have turned the U.S.-Mexico border into a profitable battleground. From Texas sheriffs chasing cable news fame to ICE's record-breaking budgets, they explore how state power and corruption fuel a bipartisan consensus of repression. The conversation also touches on “terror Keynesianism,” the erosion of civil rights, lessons from Mexico’s leftward turn, and the international boomerang of U.S. imperial policy—from the borderlands to Gaza.

The unfriendly skies, indeed: as part of its ongoing turning-of-screws, the Trump administration is now meddling in Mexico's internal aviation rules, with a series of fresh threats against flights to the US and the Delta-Aeromexico joint venture. Kurt and José Luis have a full breakdown. According to a new study, the biggest beneficiaries of the Mexico-US-Canada free-trade agreements have been: [drumroll], the big multinationals, vindicating what Chomsky warned about in the lead-up to the original NAFTA in 1994. The borough head of Cuauhtémoc rolls the culture-war dice by removing a popular statue of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara close to where they first met, and... burning books at the anti-gentrification rally?

This is getting old. Donald Trump has now threatened Mexico with tariffs for the fourth time since being elected, with an ever-shifting carousel of justifications. In today's episode, José Luis and Kurt have the entire breakdown. New sets of polls on both sides of the border demonstrate that USers are souring on Trump's immigration measures...and that Mexicans are souring on the US. Better late than never: Mexico decides to attend the Emergency Conference of States to End the Gaza Genocide amidst rumors that Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente's passive approach to diplomacy is wearing thin. And in Losers and Haters, a US narco-lawyer tries to pick a fight with President Sheinbaum.