Podcast · News

Mexico Matters

by Center for Strategic and International Studies · English · News

The Mexico Matters podcast series highlights key developments in Mexico and their impact on the United States. Produced by Marla Hiller.

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest: 1 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026 · 49 min

Lower Than Tokyo: Mexico's Fertility Shock and Growth Puzzle

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Valeria Moy, Director of IMCO and host of the Peras y Manzanas podcast. They kick off with a demographic shockwave: Mexico’s Statistics Institute, INEGI, released an intercensal figures which revealed that Mexico’s fertility rate plummeted to 1.2, with Mexico City dropping to an astonishing 0.8—lower than Tokyo. What does the rapid shattering of the "endless young labor supply" mean for the nation's pension system, long-term productivity, and labor market? Beyond the demographic shift, they tackle Mexico’s persistent growth puzzle. Despite direct…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

4 Aug 2026 · 51 min
Energy is Destiny
In this episode, Mariana Campero sits down with Guillermo García Alcocer, former chairman of Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and one of the region’s premier energy policy experts. Together, they break down Mexico’s dramatic shift from a dominant energy exporter to a country relying on the U.S. for over 70% of its refined fuels and natural gas. They explore the strategic trade-offs and vulnerabilities of this dependence on cheap American gas, as well as the pragmatic policy shifts being implemented to power Mexico's booming manufacturing sector and data centers. They also discuss…
11 Jun 2026 · 47 min
Soccer in America: From the Sidelines to the Mainstream
In this episode, Mariana sits down with Andres Martinez, journalist, Co-Director of the Great Game Lab at Arizona State University, and author of the gripping new book, The Great Game: A Tale of Two Footballs and America’s Quest to Conquer Global Sport. Together, they decode the massive forces driving soccer from the American fringes into the mainstream. From the explosive evolution of the tournament since 2024 to becoming a global blueprint for women’s soccer, they break down how American capital is aggressively buying into and controlling historic European clubs, among others. They also…
8 May 2026 · 26 min
Iran, the World Cup, and the New Asymmetric Front: A Global Game of Chicken
In this episode, Mariana speaks with counter-terrorism and Middle East expert Dan Byman to dissect the current state of the US-Iran conflict and its potential impact on the upcoming North American World Cup 2026. They analyze Iran’s increased deterrence positioning with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, their use of asymmetric warfare, and lay potentials scenarios to explain Iran’s current terrorism restraint. Is it a sign of incapacity or strategic pause? They also discuss the importance for the Iran’s soccer players to participate in the sporting tournament,ent and the risks it implies…
9 Apr 2026 · 49 min
It's the Monopolies, Stupid
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Adolfo Babatz, Founder and CEO of Clip, the company that transformed the Mexican streetscape by not only putting a payment terminal into the hands of micro-merchants but also by offering them financial services to help them become more efficient to survive. They discuss the structural issues blocking Mexico’s fintech revolution and digital currency adoption. They also explore what other countries like Brazil and India have done to reduce the attractiveness of cash, the impact of AI on Clip and Latin America, and which model will the region follow: the…
23 Feb 2026 · 38 min
U.S.-Mexico Tensions in the Era of the Don-Roe Doctrine
Note: This episode was recorded on February 17th, 2026, before the death of Mexican cartel leader “El Mencho.” In this episode, Mariana speaks with Jorge Castaneda, a Mexican politician and academic who served as Secretary of State from 2000 to 2003. They discuss President Trump’s high-pressure stance toward Mexico and how President Sheinbaum has thus far been able to navigate his demands while avoiding a face-to-face meeting. They also explore the on-the-ground realities behind President Trump’s claims that Mexican trafficking organizations are allied with the government, the recent shifts…
20 Jan 2026 · 41 min
Trump the Price Setter, Mexico the Price Taker
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alan Stoga, former partner of Henry Kissinger and Chairman of the Tallberg Foundations, about the historical consequences of the Trump presidency, how the world we grow up in is morphing, and what is likely to be America’s role in this new world. They also discuss how countries like Mexico will not only have to learn how to adapt to this new context but also recognize that President Trump will not shy away from merging economic, commercial, military and security tools to achieve his desired outcomes. Lastly, they discern how the Don-Roe Doctrine is…
19 Dec 2025 · 37 min
Until You Run Out of Other People’s Money
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Juan Pablo Spinetto, an opinion columnist at Bloomberg covering Latin America business, economic affairs and politics, about President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first year in office. They discuss the differences in her style and policies from her predecessor, the popularity and sustainability of her government’s entitlements, and the biggest challenges she and Mexico will face in 2026, particularly when renewing (or renegotiating with President Trump) the North American Free Trade Agreement (USMCA). They also talk about the rationale behind Mexico’s recent…
21 Oct 2025 · 40 min
AI: Leapfrogging into the Future
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Jimena Pardo and Federico Antoni, Managing Partners of Hi Ventures, a Venture Capital fund investing in AI startups in Latin America. They discuss how a second generation of entrepreneurs are applying AI to find unique solutions and what potential economic (and other) benefits AI could bring to the region. They also speak about how AI is being used and adapted at the same time than in any developed country, as opposed to the Internet, smart phones or other technologies which took years to penetrate due to a lack of infrastructure. They also explain how…
11 Sep 2025 · 47 min
Can the U.S. Win the Narcos War?
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Ioan Grillo, a journalist and prolific author specializing in organized crime and drug trafficking. They discuss how and why security cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico has increased to historic levels—fueled by the threats and demands imposed by President Trump, the impact U.S.-Mexican cooperation could actually have (and is starting to have) on the ground, the power and control organized crime exerts in large parts of the Mexican territory, and the size of the U.S. drug market which fuels this vicious circle. They also speak about the internal…
4 Aug 2025 · 44 min
Breaking All the Rules
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Juan Carlos Baker, former USMCA negotiator and Director General for North America at the Ministry of the Economy, about the impact tariffs have had on Mexico and how they have served President’s Trump goal of curbing the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. They also discuss why 83% of Mexican exports are currently being exempted from tariffs, the consequences of the U.S. signing agreements with Japan, Europe, South Korea before its largest trading partner, and the unintended (or intended) consequences for North American automobile manufacturers who are still…
7 Jul 2025 · 27 min
Benefiting Cartels by Law
In this episode, Mariana speaks with former Supreme Court Minister, Jose Ramon Cosío about the implications of the judicial constitutional reform pushed by President Claudia Sheinbaum and passed by Mexico’s Congress. The reform effectively kills the independence of all local, state, and federal judges as they now must go through elections like any other local, state, or federal politician. Under the new laws, approximately 2,000 judges have been fired and are being replaced by those recently elected out of a pool of approximately 7,700 candidates. Mariana and Jose also discuss the likelihood…
15 May 2025 · 36 min
More Carrots and Less Sticks
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Dr. Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at CSIS, about China’s increased presence in Latin America, transforming itself from a distant economic partner into a central player in Latin America’s trade, infrastructure, and key strategic technology sectors. They also discuss how the new Trump Administration appears to be abandoning a policy of strategic neglect and is turning its attention towards the region. In addition, they discuss how Latin American countries don’t want to pick between the two biggest world economies and how the US can solve this…
9 May 2025 · 45 min
What Mexico Has to Offer
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alan Bersin, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California and US Border Czar under President Obama and Luis Rubio, a leading Mexican political analyst, Chairman of the think tank Mexico Evalua. They discuss the impact of President Trump’s migration policies at the border and on the Mexican side, analyze the potential benefits of designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, and discuss the need to increase security cooperation between the two countries. They also speak about the importance for the Mexican government to take a…
23 Apr 2025 · 29 min
Brazil’s Protectionist Model Should Be No Guide for the US
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Pedro Pullen Parente, a remarkable Brazilian public servant and businessmen. Pedro was previously Minister of Planning, Chief of Staff, Minister of Mines and Energy under President Cardoso. He was also the CEO of Petrobras, ran Bunge Brazil, and was the CEO of BRF, one of the world’s largest food companies Mariana and Pedro speak about the pros and cons of Brazil’s protectionist economic model. The model might serve as a vision for President Trump as high tariffs, local content requirements, and many other non-market barriers have allowed Brazil to…
14 Mar 2025 · 35 min
Everything is Relative—including Tariffs
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Luis de la Calle, renowned economist, former NAFTA negotiator and the CEO of CMM Asociados. They discuss the future of globalization, the current perceptions on trade, the potential consequences for North America—and the world—of imposing tariffs, and what can Mexico do to help more Mexican producers comply with USMCA. They also discuss the recent popularity surge of Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and what she needs to do to put her country (not her party) first.
11 Feb 2025 · 46 min
Are Tariffs THE Right Weapon?
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Kevin Brady, former U.S. Rep. (R-TX) and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Kenneth Smith Ramos, former USMCA Chief negotiator for Mexico, about the shift in Washington away from free trade, President Trump’s use of tariffs as leverage to solve the fentanyl and border security crises, and the potential consequences of starting a trade war within North America by imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada. They also speak about the importance for Mexico to satisfy the US’s security demands and to comply with its own energy and other trade…
27 Jan 2025 · 50 min
America and the World under Trump 2.0
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Dr. Hamre, President and CEO of CSIS and Seth Jones, President of the Defense and Security Department at CSIS. They discuss the role America has had historically in the world and why it might be entering a new epoch of parochialism. They also speak about the world that President Trump has inherited and how its competition with China is playing out in Latin America and elsewhere. They analyze the importance for America to protect and strengthen its borders, the advantages and disadvantages of sending troops to the southern border, and designating cartels…
9 Dec 2024 · 36 min
Trump is Not The Enemy, Narcos Is
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow in the Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology in the Foreign Policy program at Brookings. She is the director of the Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors. She is also the co-director of the Brookings series on opioids: “The Opioid Crisis in America: Domestic and International Dimensions. They discuss the unprecedented epidemic caused by the synthetic drug revolution and the role that Mexican cartels have played in driving this crisis, bankrolled by Chinese money laundering organizations. They also…
4 Nov 2024 · 47 min
Trump vs Harris: Who is best for what?
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alan Stoga, Chairman of the Tallberg Foundation and Host of the New Thinking for a New World podcast, about the importance of the U.S. elections, the state of U.S. politics and about the difference in trade, migration and economic policies of the two candidates. They also discuss the impact of the different policies could have in Mexico and the space Mexico’s new President, Claudia Sheinbaum, will have to navigate under each of the two candidates.
14 Oct 2024 · 41 min
Wait and See
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Carlos Peyrelongue, head of Mexico Equity Research for Bank of America, about the state of the country that President Claudia Sheinbaum has inherited from her predecessor, about the parting gift he left—a judicial reform that weakens certainty and the rule of law, and about how the markets will read certain markers to determine whether or not she will rule based on data or ideology. They also discuss the measures she will need to take in order to create the necessary conditions to attract investments to grow, to fund the country’s infrastructure needs, as…
2 Oct 2024 · 44 min
Picking Winners and Losers
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alejandra Palacios, former head of Mexico’s antitrust agency, COFECE, and Andrea Durkin, VP for international policy at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), about the controversial constitutional judicial reform passed by Mexico's Congress, which makes Mexico the only country in the world where the entire judicial branch, including the Supreme Court, stands for election. They also discuss the government’s proposal to incorporate various regulatory agencies into the federal government, a move that could undermine their independence and increase…
15 Aug 2024 · 40 min
Keep those Plates Spinning in the Air
On this episode, Mariana speaks with General David Petraeus, former CIA Director, Retired Army General, Partner of KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, about the major and minor challenges occurring around the world that require the attention of the United States while, at the same time, the US needs to focus on strengthening its own competitive profile to compete against China. They also discuss how some of these global trends (nearshoring and frienshoring) have the potential to benefit Mexico if—and only if—Mexico works to create the necessary conditions to attract investment.…
24 Jul 2024 · 45 min
Impartiality, If You Can Keep It
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Kenneth Smith Ramos, former Chief Negotiator of USMCA from the Mexican side and partner of AGON, about how the Constitutional Reforms proposed by President Lopez Obrador might weaken Mexico’s judiciary and in doing so, impact the key principles of USMCA and other trade agreements such as impartiality, transparency, and nondiscriminatory practices. They also discuss measures North America could take to defend itself against predatory practices and the facts behind recent Chinese investments in Mexico. And, they speak about the upcoming 2026 mandatory…
24 Jun 2024 · 33 min
It's More Than Grit: Moving the Economic Needle
In this crossover with It's More Than Grit: The Making of an Entrepreneur, a new podcast from CSIS, Linda Rottenberg, Co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, joins Mariana Campero and co-host Andrew Schwartz for a discussion on Linda’s journey to Endeavor. She highlights the qualities of a good entrepreneur and the regions she is most optimistic about. As a leader of the global entrepreneurship movement, Linda also shares advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Linda Rottenberg is one of the world’s premier voices on global entrepreneurship, technology, and business transformation. As Co-founder and CEO…
12 Jun 2024 · 44 min
Power is the Greatest Aphrodisiac
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Carlos Elizondo Mayer-Serra, a political science expert from Monterrey Tec, about Claudia Sheinbaum’s landslide victory in the Mexican elections and explains why the financial markets negatively reacted to such a victory. They also discuss the Constitutional changes that President Lopez Obrador and his Morena party might try to pass now that they have the necessary votes, and the potential impact of those reforms on Claudia’s presidency. They stress the various dilemmas Claudia will face while squaring the circle of achieving greater economic growth vs.…
16 May 2024 · 44 min
Mexico Imposes Tariffs on China
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Juan Carlos Baker, former USMCA negotiator on the Mexican side and CEO of Ansley International Consultants, about the facts behind the recent Chinese investment announcements in Mexico, about what prompted Mexico to increase tariffs on more than 500 Chinese goods, and what Mexico, the U.S. and Canada should be doing now to prepare for the upcoming 2026 review of USMCA.
18 Apr 2024 · 37 min
To Be More or Not to Be North American: That is the Question
In this episode, Mariana is joined by Luis de la Calle, an international economist, former NAFTA negotiator and CEO of CMM; and Martin Castellanos, head of Latam research at the IIF. They discuss the potential economic and policy implications of the June 2nd presidential elections and describe the optimism vis-a-vis Mexico among the investor community. They dive into the economic realities that exist today to determine whether that optimism is justified or not. They also discuss future risks and analyze the various policy consequences of the upcoming elections. They describe two potential…
25 Mar 2024 · 28 min
Americans Are Migrating to Mexico Too
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Tamanna and Travis Bembenek, owners of the Mexico News Daily about the other side of the migration coin: the millions of Americans (and other nationalities) migrating to Mexico to live, work, or start a business and the impact they are having in the local communities. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of starting a new business in Mexico, the importance for the Mexican government to expedite work visas to allow for the technology ecosystem to grow, and the challenges/opportunities they see as business owners. They also talk about how…
14 Feb 2024 · 46 min
Shut Which Border?
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Andrew Selee, President of the Migration Policy Institute and Carlos Heredia Associate Professor at CIDE about the facts and the politics in both the U.S. and Mexico behind the surge in immigration flows. They dive deep into the facts to understand what is attracting so many people—not only from Mexico or Central America but also from China, India, Africa, and the Middle East—to risk their lives (and a lot of money) to cross the border illegally. They also speak about the impact that immigration is having on the Mexican side of the border, they discuss…

About Mexico Matters

The Mexico Matters podcast series highlights key developments in Mexico and their impact on the United States. Produced by Marla Hiller.

Mexico Matters is a English news podcast from Center for Strategic and International Studies. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies
Language: English
Category: News
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 44 min
Latest episode: 1 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1553970735
Rights: 2021 Center for Strategic and International Studies

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