Soberanía: The Mexican Politics Podcast

In episode 115 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth (broadcasting from Oaxaca) cover Mexico's sharp escalation in the fight against ICE abuses. The government is now filing criminal complaints with U.S. state and federal prosecutors over the deaths of Mexican nationals in detention and during enforcement operations, while also sending cease-and-desist letters to private prison operators like GEO Group and CoreCivic, and taking the issue to the UN Human Rights Commission. Next, they examine the scandal surrounding Baja California Governor Mariana del Pilar, who was caught in leaked audio speaking to unidentified people claiming to be U.S. intermediaries about getting her visa reinstated. While this isn't the outright treason of Chihuahua's Maru Campos, the hosts argue it's still embarrassing: a governor begging to cooperate with the U.S. to get her visa back, apparently willing to talk to anyone and offer anything.The episode also highlights a victory for public transportation: the Buena Vista–Felipe Ángeles Airport train has become a surprise hit, not just for airport travelers but for commuters from the state of Mexico who now shave hours off their daily journeys. The hosts argue this is what happens when you invest in public infrastructure — and contrast it with the U.S. model of privatized, car-centric development.Losers and Haters takes aim at far-right influencer and law professor Natalia Torres, who went on a podcast to argue that not everyone should be allowed to vote. The hosts note the deeply classist, racist, and medieval thinking behind such a statement — and how it perfectly encapsulates why the Mexican right remains its own worst enemy.

In episode 113 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth kick off with a celebration — Mexico has advanced past a knockout stage at the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and the country's hospitality has won hearts worldwide, especially with its embrace of the Iranian team. They argue this moment reveals Mexico's genuine sportsmanship and internationalist spirit, in stark contrast to the U.S. government's petty and xenophobic treatment of Iran.Next, they examine two new developments on the Mexican right: the registration of a new opposition party, "Somos México," and the PAN's latest relaunch. The hosts break down the recycled cast of characters behind Somos México — oligarchs, failed politicians, and former electoral officials — and question whether it can survive the requirement to win 3% of the vote on its own in the next election. The PAN's new platform, meanwhile, reads like a greatest hits of failed neoliberal policies: privatizing the Dos Bocas refinery, scrapping the new public health system, drone patrols, mega-prisons, and tax cuts that the same party previously raised. Losers and Haters takes aim at a New York Times piece that claims Morena officials are secretly cooperating with U.S. investigators. The hosts dismantle the article's sourcing — eight anonymous "people involved in conversations" who are never quoted, recycled allegations from the same reporters who previously insinuated AMLO's sons were caught on video picking up drug money (a claim never substantiated), and the endless parade of the same irrelevant Mexican commentators. It's a case study in lazy, source-free rumor peddling dressed up as prestige journalism.

In episode 111 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth cover a week of contrast — from a billionaire's public humiliation to a heartwarming display of South-South solidarity.The episode opens with the spectacular failure of Ricardo Salinas Pliego's attempt to use the World Cup as a launchpad for his presidential ambitions. Expecting to be greeted as a popular hero, the TV Azteca owner was instead met with chants of "Trump's bitch" from the crowd — a moment that went instantly viral. The hosts connect this to the deeper history of the Salinas family's ties to the CIA, documented in a recent investigation showing how far-right Mexican figures have been in Washington's orbit since the 1970s.Next, they turn to the warm reception Mexico has given the Iranian national team, who were forced to base themselves in Tijuana after the U.S. refused to let them stay on US soil. From the mayor of Tijuana hosting a reception, to crowds cheering them at their hotel, to the Iranian booth at the Chapultepec World Cup village drawing huge crowds, the hosts argue this is Mexico at its best — a rebuke to U.S. racism and a genuine expression of solidarity with a nation under attack.The episode also examines new polling showing Claudia Scheinbaum's approval at 71 percent — unchanged despite months of U.S.-backed smear campaigns. Homicides have dropped 46 percent under her administration, a statistic that gets virtually no English-language coverage because it undercuts the narrative of a "cartel-controlled" Mexico. The hosts note that even as the U.S. tries to justify intervention, Mexico's security strategy is producing results.Losers and Haters takes aim at U.S. commentators who can't accept that America lost its war with Iran and now has to take a bad deal. The segment highlights the cognitive dissonance of pundits demanding Trump renege on the agreement — as if losing a war doesn't require making concessions.

In episode 93 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth return from a major anti-imperialist conference in Colombia to analyze its outcomes and the urgent challenges facing Latin America.They share their impressions from the “Nuestra América” summit in Bogotá, discussing the push for regional unity, the importance of the upcoming Colombian elections, and the need to turn solidarity into concrete action. Back on the home front, the hosts examine mounting pressures on Mexican sovereignty, from the contentious suspension of an oil shipment to Cuba to disputed narratives around a high-profile arrest. Amidst these diplomatic storms, they also highlight a positive domestic story: the government’s progress on delivering affordable public housing.As always, José Luis and Kurt provide sharp, on-the-ground analysis of the political forces shaping Mexico and the region, wrapping up with a critical look at a new conspiracy theory targeting Mexico’s consular network in the U.S.

In episode 91 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth unpack the political response in Mexico following the U.S. attack on Venezuela.The show starts with an on-the-ground report from the large anti-imperialist march in Mexico City, analyzing the turnout, the diverse participants, and the powerful message of regional solidarity against U.S. aggression. The conversation then shifts to the shifting diplomatic pressures from Washington, breaking down the contradictory "good cop, bad cop" dynamic emerging between Marco Rubio and Donald Trump in their dealings with President Sheinbaum's administration.Finally, the hosts delve into an investigative report exposing how U.S. government funds, funneled through CIA-linked contractors, are being used to interfere in Mexican labor unions under the guise of enforcing trade agreements. Plus a Losers and Haters segment on stupid headlines from bad writers.