In this episode, Mariana speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings scholar of crime, conflict, and non-traditional security threats, and Guillermo Valdes, former head of Mexico’s Center for Investigation and National Security, CISEN. They discuss the evolution of Mexico’s cartels, the failure of the Mexican government to curtail their growth, and how they have diversified into other illegal and legal businesses. They also speak about how the lack of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico—and the U.S. and China—is making it impossible to dismantle the Fentanyl supply chains and how Chinese and Mexican drug and wildlife trafficking activities are colliding, threatening various species and Mexico’s biodiversity. 

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alejandra Palacios, former head of Mexico’s Economic Competition Commission, COFECE, and Luis Gutierrez, President for Latin America of Prologis, the world’s largest industrial real estate investment trust and the biggest owner of industrial parks in Mexico. They discuss why Mexico’s manufacturing sector is receiving record numbers of FDI, in what specific sectors could Mexico increase its share in U.S. manufacturing imports, and what is needed for industrial park supply to catch up with increased demand. They also speak about the main constraints that exist to allow Mexico to take full advantage of this moment and how despite the current unfriendly political environment, C-Suites from around the world are focusing on long term geopolitical trends and moving ahead with their plans to shift a piece of their manufacturing capacity down to Mexico.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Kellie Meiman, Managing Partner at McLarty Associates and former USTR for South America, and Juan Carlos Baker, Mexico’s USMCA negotiator and former Under Secretary of the Economy. They discuss the importance for the three North American countries to abide by USMCA rules and commitments to create the needed certainty to unfreeze nearshoring investments and succeed in creating a more competitive region. They also speak about the competitive advantages Mexico brings (or could bring) to the table, “Buy America” and the U.S.’s recent industrial policies, and how energy is the missing link that could unlock the region’s full potential.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alonso Cervera, Managing Director in the Emerging Markets Economics Research team of Credit Suisse about Mexico’s record flows of foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2022, Mexico’s strengths and weaknesses to take a share of China’s exports to the U.S., and about how—despite current economic policies — Mexico will be able to catch the nearshoring wave. They also speak about the possible risks that could slow this trajectory and the economic outlook for 2023.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with former congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lethinen (R-FL-27) about the unmaterialized red wave during the 2022 midterm elections. They also discuss the importance of the Latino electorate, Governor DeSantis’s role in making Florida an outlier, and how a Republican-controlled House could modify policies affecting Mexico and trade enforcement.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Dr. Luis Rubio, Chairman of the think tank Mexico Evalua, about the transcendental changes that have occurred in Mexico under the Presidency of Lopez Obrador, why the immense power concentrated in the Mexican presidency constitutes a crucial challenge for development, and AMLO’s desire to control a good chunk of the economy and to protect his signature legislation on electricity—even if this translates into a mismatch between the United States-Canada against Mexico. They also speak about AMLO’s views of the United States and the macroeconomic conditions that could push AMLO to make bold decisions prior to the upcoming 2024 elections. 

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo, former lead negotiator for Mexico of the new USMCA free trade agreement and a current member of Mexico’s lower house of Congress for the PRI party. They discuss the trade dispute with Mexico over the country’s energy policies which restrict market access and favor two state own enterprises. CFE, the state run utility and Pemex, the oil company. To also focus on how these policies have not only undermined private companies that have poured billions into the sector, but how they have also damaged North America’s energy security and its ability to produce competitive, abundant and clean electricity.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Lisa Sanchez, the CEO of Mexico United Against Crime, a nongovernmental organization in Mexico. They discuss the failures in Mexico’s public security strategy and why women, just for being women, are particularly targeted. They also explain that the demands of the women’s movement in Mexico are not about equal rights as in other countries but rather about the basic human rights to live and be protected by the state.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Ricardo Pascoe, the former Mexican ambassador to Cuba. They discuss the political and economic conditions that exist in the island and why—despite the recent crackdowns on dissent and the economic collapse of the Cuban communist model—President López Obrador has decided to side with President Díaz Canel over President Biden to build a closer relationship.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with former congressman Filemon Vela Jr. from Texas about how the immigration debate has overshadowed the complete U.S.-Mexico relationship, despite its vastness and importance for the livelihoods of millions on both sides of the border. They also discuss how internal politics have proved a formidable barrier to smart immigration reform, which impacts the United States’ need for laborers and the competitiveness of North America.