Mexico Explained

Presidential front runner (for now) Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reminds the pod of someone who is president north of the border and shall not be named. He tells fibs, takes everything personally and overreacts to criticism. But seriously, John, Tom and Luis also look at how the presidential election is shaping up for next year and declare one party as past any hope of resuscitation. We also bring you the true conspiracy behind the theft of Tom Brady's Super Bowl jersey, which turned up in Mexico this week. And finally we look at Latin American politicians and their penchant for luxury real estate in Miami.  

Join John and Tom as they take you through the arcana of the Mexican Congress and whether or not they will ever pass a bill regulating the use of the armed forces in fighting crime. AMLO taking the heat over the Ayotzinapa tragedy in the hometown of his old buddy Rudy Giuliani. And why was there no soccer in Mexico last weekend?

The U.S. Secretaries of State and Homeland Security visit Mexico as President Donald Trump's tweets and executive orders have caused anger and anxiety south of the border. Lourdes Aranda and Tom Buckley join host John Moody in looking at the visit and what happens next.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto cancelled a visit to Washington DC after President Donald J. Trump insisted he will make Mexico pay for a proposed border wall. The pod look at how serious this is for the country and what might happen. 

The pod crew sit in their virtual studio to discuss the post real world of a Trump election victory that has changed the present and the future of Mexico almost as much as it has changed the United States. This episode looks at possible impacts and searches in vain for signs of optimism as the president elect names his cabinet.

In this episode the pod crew look at Mexican concerns that both presidential candidates are anti-trade, one because it is his main campaign message and the other in an attempt to become more electable. In the end, for all its faults, NAFTA is bioengineered into the economies and any change would be highly disruptive. Also we look at crime and corruption for a change.

Donald Trump's visit caused such outrage in Mexico that it led to the resignation of Finance Minister Luis Videgaray, the country's de facto vice-president and the leader's closest confidante. The pod looks at whether he jumped or was pushed and what the new Finance Minister inherits. Hint: Empty coffers

John, Tom and Luis grieve over the Donald's visit to Mexico, spend some time wondering if anything positive came out of it other than for the Trump campaign and then turn to the annual Presidential Informe looking at what the communications strategy says about the inner team and their thinking. But we keep a sense of humor and a strong sense of a bright future for Mexico going through it all.

The government may be using its own crime data and there is debate over whether or not homicides are rising or never really fell. The pod look at why crime is rising. And has the private sector finally broken with government, upset over striking teachers, rising taxes and reforms that promise much but have not yet delivered.

Join John Moody and guests Luis Espino and Tom Buckley as they pick apart the "vote" for a new leader of the ruling party, wonder if there is any power on earth capable of restraining state governors and bemoan a racist decision to classify U.S. born Mexican nationals as foreigners, limiting how many can play for professional soccer teams.

Congress passed stringent new corruption laws this week, but only for the private sector as businesses lost the political battle to stem public sector abuses. And Marijuana legalization gets pushed aside by lawmakers.  

Last weekend 22 candidates declared themselves the winner Sunday night in 12 gubernatorial races. Why? We check out the winners and big losers, i.e. the government and the ruling PRI.  

The podcast team look ahead to 12 state governor elections, why some teachers got a haircut and perhaps more importantly who will win the Copa America?

Twelve state governorship elections heat up, though the big fight is still ahead in 2018. Carlos Slim and Televisa resume a feud with help from the media. And Mexico could find itself out of the World Cup because of homophobia.

An external audit of the government's investigation into the disappearance of 43 student teachers in 2014 has come no closer to clearing up the tragedy. Was it worth it? And is Mexico City's Mayor wasting everybody's time with useless anti-pollution strategies?

State oil monopoly Pemex, a key driver for a faltering economy, got a new boss this week. Why did he leave? What does it mean? And will the Pope show up the Mexican government or will the pastoral visit heal visible and invisible wounds?

Gang Boss El Chapo Guzman was re-recaptured after escaping six months ago. Malcolm Beith, author of El Narco, the story of the previous hunt for Mexico's Most Wanted joins John Moody and Luis Espino to discuss what the government's success means for North American security.

President Enrique Peña Nieto reaches the midpoint of his one and only term in office with signs a sluggish economy may be picking up steam, his reforms not yet implemented and the security situation worsening in some parts of the country. We look at how far he has come, where he stands and what he needs to do to rescue his presidency.

A populist government comes to an end in Argentina as Populist Cristina Fernandez is replaced by a business-friendly candidate in last weekend's elections. What happened, what is happening and what does it mean for Mexico's favorite populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Sort of and not really just yet but maybe soon. The Mexican Supreme Court ruled four people could grow and consume their own marijuana and urged Congress to legislate one way or another. Zara Snapp of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which advocates for legalization, explains what's going on in a special weed edition of Mexico Explained.