Mexico Matters: Recent Episodes
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Mexico Matters podcast series highlights key developments in Mexico and their impact on the United States.
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, and Evan Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of Chubb. They delve into the ways North America stands to benefit from current global tensions. They also discuss the notions of globalization and regionalization, and what Mexico needs to do enhance its global competitiveness, attract greater investments, and achieve its full potential. Larry and Evan also share their optimism for the region and discuss how the negative headlines we see about Mexico do not tell the full story about what is happening in the country.
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Dr. Luis Rubio, former Chairman of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations and Chair of Mexico Evalua, about his most recent book titled On Your Marks. They discuss why the upcoming Presidential election will define the trajectory of Mexico in the near future, and whether Mexico will be able to create the necessary conditions to leverage the nearshoring wave. They also discuss various scenarios that could unfold between now and the June 2024 elections, as well as the economic and political conditions under which the next President will have to govern. Additionally, they explore the likelihood of a crisis and how the rhetoric of the U.S. Presidential election might impact the outcome of the Mexican election.
In this episode, Mariana speaks with Ken Smith, the former head negotiator from the Mexico side of the USMCA agreement and with Scott Miller co-host of The Trade Guys, a CSIS podcast specializing in trade policies. They talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of USMCA as it approaches its third year anniversary, and how it differs from the former NAFTA. They also discuss the importance of USMCA’s dispute settlement mechanism and why the U.S.government hasn’t called Mexico to a panel regarding bio corn and the country’s nationalistic energy policies. They also speak about the potential damage caused by the U.S. for not abiding by the rulings of the panel over its interpretation of the rules of origin in the auto sector, and about what needs to be done to strengthen the rules that underpin trade and investment in North America.
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.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Luis Cervantes, managing director and head of General Atlantic's Mexico City office; Adolfo Babats, CEO of CLIP, one of the first unicorns to emerge from Mexico; and Ricardo Amper, CEO of Incode. They discuss the opportunity that private equity and other investors have identified in Mexico and Latin America and how entrepreneurs are using technology to create thriving businesses that are turning some of the big problems and market deficiencies in the region into enormous opportunities for growth.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Mexico's former Foreign Minister, Jorge Castañeda, about Mexico's unwillingness to impose any economic sanctions on Russia for the war against Ukraine. Castañeda also explains why anti-Americanism in the region has allowed President Putin to find certain support from Mexico, Brazil, and other Latin American countries.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Luis Rubio, Luis de la Calle, Lourdes Melgar, Jorge Tello Peón, and Julian Ventura; five renowned Mexican experts who provide a report card of President Lopez Obrador´s first three years in office from a political, economic, energy, security, and diplomatic perspective. They also share their analysis as to what we can expect for the second half of this Administration: it will require a clean-up!
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute. They discuss the record number and diversity of migrants, the importance for the U.S. to be able to control its border, and the need to build a 21st-century immigration system that is both humane and attracts the required high, mid, and lower skill talents to grow and increase competitiveness.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with former United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer about USMCA and the principles and goals that guided its creation versus the old NAFTA. They also discuss the benefits and limits of the North American market, the issues behind supply chain disruptions, the importance of protecting jobs and livelihoods, and why Mexico matters to the United States.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with General David Petraeus, partner of KKR, Chairman of the KKR Global Institute, and former CIA Director, about Mexico's potential to enhance the United States' competitiveness as it relocates supply chains closer to home, and competes against China. They analyze some of the recent actions taken by the Mexican government that have made investors worry and government officials question the reliability of Mexico as a partner in this grand strategy.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Ambassador Antonio Garza, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, and Gabriel Lozano, chief economist of J.P. Morgan Mexico, about Mexico’s midterm elections which were held on June 6th. They analyze the new equilibrium of power, the priorities of President Lopez Obrador, and how these affect the short and medium-term outlooks for Mexico.
In this episode, host Mariana Campero speaks with Ambassador Andres Rozental, former deputy foreign minister of Mexico, and Ryan Berg, senior fellow in the CSIS Americas Program. They discuss the perfect storm propelling the recent migration wave to the U.S.-Mexican border and emphasize how the current policies of the Lopez-Obrador administration are damaging U.S. investments and other interests, producing a negative effect on migration.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Dr. Lourdes Melgar, non-resident fellow at the Baker Institute and Mexico’s former Deputy Secretary of Energy, and Ben Cahill, Senior Fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at CSIS. They discuss the impact that Mexico’s energy counter-reforms will have on U.S. interests, North American competitiveness, and the transition to cleaner use of energy.
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with security and intelligence experts Jorge Tello Peon and Juan Cruz about the efficacy of Mexico’s new security strategy, which saw more than 34,000 homicides last year—the highest in the country’s history despite the pandemic lockdowns. They also discussed recent actions that have undermined trust and cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico. Are our two countries more than neighbors—are we roommates?
In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Ken Smith, Mexico’s Chief USMCA negotiator and with the CSIS Trade Guys, Scott Miller and Bill Reinsch, about the new USMCA— which was signed two years ago by President Lopez Obrador. They dive deep into how some of his policies run counter to the spirit of free competition and risk hindering US investments and other key interests. They also discuss the focus on compliance by the new Biden Administration and how protectionist measures on both sides can affect the overall competitiveness of North America.
In this first episode, Mariana is joined by Kim Breier, former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere, and Luis de la Calle, a Mexican economist and the former Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy who headed the NAFTA negotiations. They discuss how the economic and political priorities of the Mexican government can not only undermine confidence among investors but also hinder U.S. national interests.