The Grayzone podcast with Max Blumenthal

The current "Pax Bukele", a state of emergency in which constitutional rights have been invalidated, was only made possible by a secret deal between President Nayyib Bukele and some of the country's most violent gangs, which actively assisted Bukele's rise.

The Grayzone spoke with veteran Salvadorean journalist Walter Raudales about the stunning revelations of Bukele's covert arrangement with the cartels, and interviewed human rights lawyer Alejandro Diaz about the corruption and cruelty underlying Bukele's notorious CECOT mega-prison project.

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Video by Oscar Leon

Max Blumenthal meets Professor Mohammed Marandi in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra war martyr's cemetery and visits the graves of friends Marandi lost during Iran's eight year-long war with Iraq.

Marandi explains what he thinks Iran is fighting for, why he believes the US is ultimately responsible for filling up the cemetery, and addresses his country's situation as it is faced with the threat of a new war.

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Video by Ahmad Saadaldin

Journalist Jeremy Loffredo travels to Puerto Rico to investigate how a new wave of U.S. crypto billionaires and wealthy transplants are reshaping the island. Drawn by tax breaks and lax regulations, these elites are buying up land, displacing locals, and transforming the entire Latin American country.

Through on-the-ground reporting Loffredo unpacks how this economic invasion is eroding the island’s sovereignty under the guise of “investment,” echoing earlier eras of U.S. dominance—most notably the island’s long history of American military presence.

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In this discussion, Aaron Maté analyzes the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, highlighting how European leaders and NATO continue to escalate tensions with Russia through dire warnings and increased military support. He critiques the lack of diplomatic efforts, pointing to Russia's consistent demands—such as no NATO expansion and recognition of Crimea—while the U.S. and Europe dismiss them as unreasonable.

Maté also examines the political dynamics within the Trump administration, where figures like Marco Rubio advocate for prolonging the war, while others, like JD Vance, push for negotiations. The conversation underscores the human cost of the conflict, including forced conscription in Ukraine, and questions the motives behind Western policies that prioritize confrontation over peace.

Anya Parampil on the expansion of BRICS and the growth of global multipolarity at The Sobh Media Festival in Tehran, Iran

Audio from the Sobh Media Festival panel, The Decline of American Hegemony and the Emergence of a New World Order, with Anya Parampil, George Galloway, Ajamu Baraka, and Glenn Diesen.

Max Blumenthal speaks about Zionist influence on US politics at The Sobh Media Festival in Tehran, Iran
Audio from the Sobh Media Festival panel, The Influence of the Israeli Lobby on Western Political Institutions, with Max Blumenthal, Alastair Crooke, Mick Wallace and Clare Daly.Open on Substack

Max Blumenthal discusses a US senator’s call for the fbi to investigate code pink on specious grounds, the inflammatory US tour of Israeli fascist Itamar Ben Gvir, and Trump’s failing negotiating strategy in Ukraine.

Aaron Maté joins Judge Andrew Napolitano to dissect Donald Trump’s claim that he could swiftly end the Ukraine war through negotiations with Russia. The conversation covers Russia’s unyielding demands, U.S. co-belligerence, NATO expansion, and Trump’s mixed signals on diplomacy. They also touch on Trump’s recent firings within his national security team and how “tough guy” tactics might sabotage serious peace talks with Russia, Iran, and others. Can Trump choose between diplomacy and hawkish posturing—or does trying to do both doom any hope of peace?

Max Blumenthal assesses the chaos at the Trump Pentagon under the abysmal leadership of Pete Hegseth, and how it might shape a potential war with Iran. He also discusses his recent interview with a leader of Yemen's Ansarallah, and the failures so far of the US military to achieve any stated objectives against the popular Houthi movement.

Max Blumenthal and Aaron Maté discuss the chaos inside the Pentagon as Israel and its neocon allies in the Trump administration attempt to goad the US into war on Iran. They will also cover Syria, where the US has issued revealing demands in exchange for removing troops, how El Salvador's rent a prison policy is being weaponized by Washington, and more.

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