AMLO in the Crosshairs (Again)

Claudia Sheinbaum Takes on the ICE K*lling Machine

In episode 115 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth (broadcasting from Oaxaca) cover Mexico's sharp escalation in the fight against ICE abuses. The government is now filing criminal complaints with U.S. state and federal prosecutors over the deaths of Mexican nationals in detention and during enforcement operations, while also sending cease-and-desist letters to private prison operators like GEO Group and CoreCivic, and taking the issue to the UN Human Rights Commission. Next, they examine the scandal surrounding Baja California Governor Mariana del Pilar, who was caught in leaked audio speaking to unidentified people claiming to be U.S. intermediaries about getting her visa reinstated. While this isn't the outright treason of Chihuahua's Maru Campos, the hosts argue it's still embarrassing: a governor begging to cooperate with the U.S. to get her visa back, apparently willing to talk to anyone and offer anything.The episode also highlights a victory for public transportation: the Buena Vista–Felipe Ángeles Airport train has become a surprise hit, not just for airport travelers but for commuters from the state of Mexico who now shave hours off their daily journeys. The hosts argue this is what happens when you invest in public infrastructure — and contrast it with the U.S. model of privatized, car-centric development.Losers and Haters takes aim at far-right influencer and law professor Natalia Torres, who went on a podcast to argue that not everyone should be allowed to vote. The hosts note the deeply classist, racist, and medieval thinking behind such a statement — and how it perfectly encapsulates why the Mexican right remains its own worst enemy.

Liar, Liar, Ten-Gallon Hat on Fire: Ex Amb Salazar Caught up in Scandal of His Own Making

In episode 114 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth (broadcasting remotely) cover a week of diplomatic scandals, World Cup drama, and economic news. The episode opens with the explosive revelation that the FBI has donated the plane used to kidnap Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada to a museum — effectively admitting U.S. involvement in the operation after years of denials. The hosts break down how Ken Salazar, the former U.S. ambassador, lied repeatedly about the incident. They connect this to the broader pattern of U.S. hypocrisy: negotiating with cartels while accusing Mexico of doing the same, and violating sovereignty while demanding cooperation. Next, they turn to FIFA's corruption on full display during the World Cup. From Trump personally intervening to overturn a red card for the U.S. star player, to blatant calls that robbed Iran and Egypt, the hosts argue the tournament now has a massive asterisk. Yet they also highlight Mexico's stellar performance as a host — welcoming England fans, embracing the Iranian team, and earning praise from supporters' groups worldwide — in stark contrast to the U.S. government's xenophobic and petty behavior. The episode also examines Mexico's return to the top 10 for foreign direct investment, with $41 billion in 2025. While the hosts acknowledge the importance of capital inflows, they caution that FDI doesn't automatically translate into quality jobs or reduced inequality, and note the tension between attracting investment and the U.S. demands for a veto on Chinese trade in USMCA negotiations. Losers and Haters takes aim at Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann, who went on a xenophobic rant against Mexico. The hosts note his ties to Ricardo Salinas Pliego, the Mexican billionaire who wants to be president, and contrast his hateful rhetoric with the hospitality Mexico showed the world during the World Cup.

Sports as Diplomacy: Everybody Loves Mexico

In episode 113 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth kick off with a celebration — Mexico has advanced past a knockout stage at the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and the country's hospitality has won hearts worldwide, especially with its embrace of the Iranian team. They argue this moment reveals Mexico's genuine sportsmanship and internationalist spirit, in stark contrast to the U.S. government's petty and xenophobic treatment of Iran.Next, they examine two new developments on the Mexican right: the registration of a new opposition party, "Somos México," and the PAN's latest relaunch. The hosts break down the recycled cast of characters behind Somos México — oligarchs, failed politicians, and former electoral officials — and question whether it can survive the requirement to win 3% of the vote on its own in the next election. The PAN's new platform, meanwhile, reads like a greatest hits of failed neoliberal policies: privatizing the Dos Bocas refinery, scrapping the new public health system, drone patrols, mega-prisons, and tax cuts that the same party previously raised. Losers and Haters takes aim at a New York Times piece that claims Morena officials are secretly cooperating with U.S. investigators. The hosts dismantle the article's sourcing — eight anonymous "people involved in conversations" who are never quoted, recycled allegations from the same reporters who previously insinuated AMLO's sons were caught on video picking up drug money (a claim never substantiated), and the endless parade of the same irrelevant Mexican commentators. It's a case study in lazy, source-free rumor peddling dressed up as prestige journalism.

AMLO in the Crosshairs (Again)

In episode 112 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth open with the fabricated "interview" of Carlos Monsiváis published by El Universal, which smears Andrés Manuel López Obrador with baseless, homophobic innuendo. The hosts demonstrate how the timeline doesn't match, how Monsiváis's family has denied the interview's authenticity, and how the episode reveals the moral bankruptcy of the Mexican right. They connect this to the broader campaign to destroy AMLO's moral authority as a way to weaken Claudia Sheinbaum's presidency. Next, they examine the Schrödinger's box of the USMCA trade agreement. The hosts explain that while the agreement will automatically extend for at least 10 more years, the U.S. may opt for annual reviews — a nightmare scenario that would allow Trump to hold a cudgel over Mexico's head every single year until 2036. The conversation then turns to the electoral results in Colombia and Peru. Iván Cepeda conceded a razor-thin defeat (by just 251,000 votes) to a far-right candidate endorsed by Trump, while in Peru, left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez refuses to recognize Keiko Fujimori's victory, citing widespread fraud. The hosts analyze the different strategies — Cepeda's cautious concession versus Sánchez's defiance — and draw lessons for the Latin American left about the need to defang political opponents before they regain power. Losers and Haters takes aim at the BBC, which unironically tweeted that global trust in news has hit an all-time low — while ignoring its own role in that collapse, from its genocidal coverage of Gaza to its Middle East editor's ties to a CIA front group.

'La Perra de Trump': Mexican Soccer Fans Give Right-Wing Oligarch a Rude Awakening

In episode 111 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth cover a week of contrast — from a billionaire's public humiliation to a heartwarming display of South-South solidarity.The episode opens with the spectacular failure of Ricardo Salinas Pliego's attempt to use the World Cup as a launchpad for his presidential ambitions. Expecting to be greeted as a popular hero, the TV Azteca owner was instead met with chants of "Trump's bitch" from the crowd — a moment that went instantly viral. The hosts connect this to the deeper history of the Salinas family's ties to the CIA, documented in a recent investigation showing how far-right Mexican figures have been in Washington's orbit since the 1970s.Next, they turn to the warm reception Mexico has given the Iranian national team, who were forced to base themselves in Tijuana after the U.S. refused to let them stay on US soil. From the mayor of Tijuana hosting a reception, to crowds cheering them at their hotel, to the Iranian booth at the Chapultepec World Cup village drawing huge crowds, the hosts argue this is Mexico at its best — a rebuke to U.S. racism and a genuine expression of solidarity with a nation under attack.The episode also examines new polling showing Claudia Scheinbaum's approval at 71 percent — unchanged despite months of U.S.-backed smear campaigns. Homicides have dropped 46 percent under her administration, a statistic that gets virtually no English-language coverage because it undercuts the narrative of a "cartel-controlled" Mexico. The hosts note that even as the U.S. tries to justify intervention, Mexico's security strategy is producing results.Losers and Haters takes aim at U.S. commentators who can't accept that America lost its war with Iran and now has to take a bad deal. The segment highlights the cognitive dissonance of pundits demanding Trump renege on the agreement — as if losing a war doesn't require making concessions.