In the latest episode of Soberanía, Kurt and José Luis discuss the implications for Mexico of hardliner Terry Cole being nominated to lead the DEA, as the agency struggles to rediscover its mojo following a series of embarrassing scandals. They also analyze the USAID's historic role as a soft-power arm of empire, with its tentacles well-placed in Mexico, and go on to consider the devastating cryptoscam enveloping Argentine president Javier Milei, as well as President Sheinbaum's response. And defending Milei in losers and haters, the loser everyone loves to hate: Ricardo Salinas Pliego.

Mexico wants to become a silicon powerhouse, build a million homes, and defend its sovereignty. In the latest episode of Soberanía, co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth look at plans to create Kutzari, National Semiconductor Design Center, as well as updated efforts to build housing; plus a look at the country’s development model that is keeping inflation and unemployment down. As always we bring you our Losers and Haters segment, this week Joshua Treviño, a right-wing ideologue and former consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, tries to link Morena to organized crime but only proves his own ignorance.

Following a successful negotiation by President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump walked back his executive order imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico. Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth tell the story of this week’s rollercoaster of events in the Mexico-US bilateral relationship, looking at Trump’s executive order, Sheinbaum’s response, and the deal that was ultimately struck. 

The first salvo has been fired. After Colombian President Gustavo Petro turned back deportation flights over the inhumane treatment of migrants, Trump threatened to impose tariffs in retaliation, although he ultimately backed down. What does this latest episode tell us about how Mexico and Latin America need to respond to Trump? What is the US president seeking to get out of Mexico? Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth begin to answer those questions in the latest episode of Soberanía.

Trump is back in the White House and has already approved a series of executive orders that will impact Mexico and the bilateral relationship. Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth review the first actions by the new Trump administration and Mexico’s response, including steps the Sheinbaum government is taking to attend to migrants in the face of mass deportations by the US. Plus, we have a very special announcement at the start of the show, and as always our Losers and Haters segment with the biggest loser of all: Elon Musk.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commemorated her first 100 days in office with a massive rally in Mexico City, where she outlined her government’s plans for her six-year mandate. Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth discuss her leadership of Mexico in this crucial early period. Plus a conversation on the economic roadmap laid out by the government known as Plan México. Kurt and José Luis also look at a recent corruption scandal involving housing from the old neoliberal period. In our usual segments we also chat about Mexican firefighters in Los Angeles and we mock the “galaxy’s worst pundit” in Losers and Haters. 

The New York Times has once again been caught red-handed engaging in deceptive reporting on Mexico.  Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth break down the serious inconsistencies in the recently published story that claimed to show a “cartel fentanyl lab” and call out the authors’ dereliction of duty to fact check their story. Plus a look at Mexico's National Development Plan and the participatory process that makes an important step forward in deepening the country’s democracy. We also say “Bye Bye!” to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who was forced to resign but not before he tried to throw Mexico under the bus. Finally, in Loser and Haters we respond to lies put out by NED-aligned propagandists.

Watch Part II of our special year-end episode of Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast where co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth were joined by special guest Sasi Alejandre and review the biggest stories in Mexican politics that took place in Mexico in 2024.

Watch Part I of our special year-end episode of Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast where co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth were joined by special guest Sasi Alejandre and review the biggest stories in Mexican politics that took place in Mexico in 2024.

Part II on 31-12-2024!

The “gig economy” has been a disruptive force, undermining the working class’ access to job security, benefits, and fair wages, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and financial instability. Now Claudia Sheinbaum’s government is stepping in and implementing a historic change to labor laws to grant labor protections and social security to hundreds of thousands of “gig” workers who will now be recognized as employees.  Co-hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth also look at US Ambassador-designate Ron Johnson’s past as a spook for the CIA and as both “military advisor” in El Salvador during the country’s civil war and, more recently, his cozy relationship with Nayib Bukele. Plus a conversation on efforts to protect Indigenous peoples’ rights and in Losers and Haters, we ask why outlets insist on quoting people like Castañeda and Dresser, who have no credibility.