Trump's Twin Threats: US Goes After Mexican Consulates and Weaponizes Counter-Terrorism Policy

About this episode

The episode discusses U.S. pressure tactics against Mexico, including threats to Mexican consulates and a new counter-terrorism strategy targeting drug cartels.

In episode 106 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth examine the latest U.S. pressure tactics against Mexico — and why they're not working.The episode opens with two coordinated threats. First, the State Department has announced a review of all 53 Mexican consulates in the U.S., echoing a conspiracy theory pushed by far-right operatives about Mexican diplomats meddling in American affairs. Second, Trump's new counterterrorism strategy centers drug cartels and left-wing domestic groups as the primary threats — with language explicitly reserving the right to act unilaterally if a country "cannot or will not" cooperate.Next, the hosts recount the spectacular failure of Isabel Díaz Ayuso's visit to Mexico. The Madrid regional leader arrived expecting to be celebrated, instead faced protests everywhere and cut her trip short. Her post-visit response, calling Mexico a dangerous narco-state, only underscored how badly she misread the country. The hosts note that four PAN governors who met with her managed to hand Morena a gift by changing the news cycle away from the Rocha indictment.Finally, despite relentless U.S. pressure, new polling shows…

People in this episode

Hosts: José Luis Granados Ceja, Kurt Hackbarth

Topics covered

• U.S. pressure tactics
• Mexican consulates
• counter-terrorism policy
• drug cartels
• political protests
• public opinion
• international relations

Keywords

• Trump
• Mexican consulates
• counter-terrorism
• drug cartels
• Isabel Díaz Ayuso
• public opinion
• Sinaloa
• Morena
• U.S. military operations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: State Department, Morena, PAN

Places: Mexico, U.S., Sinaloa

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