Episode 26: Organized Crime Groups Are Threatening Tortilla-makers In Morelos, Mexico

Episode 30: The Rise of a Critical Press in Modern Mexico

On this episode of the podcast host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to Andrew Paxman, a historian and a professor at Mexico’s CIDE university, who recently published a new book called MEXICAN WATCHDOGS: The Rise of a Critical Press since the 1980s. Right now media outlets and journalists in Mexico are facing unprecented challenges. During the 4T era of the presidencies of Mexico’s former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and current president Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s critical media outlets have had to respond to new policies that restrict access to intervews and information as well as offical government rhetoric that is overtly hostile to the media. Over the last three decades, Mexican media outlets have played a critical role in raising public awareness about problems such as political corruption and organized crime. During the 21st century Mexico has transitioned away from a single party semi authoritian system of government and embraced an imperfect form of multiparty democracy. Along the way journalists in Mexico have found a way to share independent and critical analysis and publish in-depth investigative reports on politics, business and organized crime. At the same time, as organized crime activity and violence surged to unprecedented levels, journalists in Mexico have faced new threats of violence both from criminals and politicians. Former President Lopez Obrador’s six years in office, which ended in 2024, are now recognized as the most violent sexenio in modern Mexican history. An astounding 47 journalists were killed during Lopez Obrador’s time in office. Lopez Obrador slashed the budget for public advertising for news outlets that published critical journalism and embraced an openly hostile strategy for insulting and undermining the media in Mexico, describing them as part of the political opposition and even part of the mafia in Mexico. Current president claudia sheinbuam speaks in a more measured tone than her predecessor, but she continues to publicly criticize Mexico’s journalists. Mexico’s media workers now face threats of legal action from politicians who are unhappy with their reporting as well as ongoing threats of physical violence when reporting on corruption or crime. In January2026, the group Reporters Without Borders tallied a count of 11 journalists murdered in Mexico during the first few months of Claudia Sheinbaum’s presidency. On today’s podcast we’re taking a look at the development of Mexico’s independent media outlets during the 21st century and the current challenges journalists in Mexico are confonting. Paxman explains the history of news outlets such as Proceso and the impact of journalists such as Carmen Aristegui. Paxman also explains that Mexico's former President Lopez Obrador created a new strategy for dealing with critical reporters and uncomfortable investigative reports into ongoing government corruption, criminal activity, and incompetence. "His default mode was to be critical of the press. [He only praised] La Jornada , which had adopted a propagandistic, or at least semi-propagandistic position towards his, his government. [He also embraced] an increasing number of YouTubers who were admitted to these press conferences as though they were bona fide journalists. Who would ask him softball questions and even compliment him, during the asking of those questions. [But] the vast majority of the press he considered to be 'nuestros oppositores, our opponents,'" Paxman says.

Episode 29: Cycling star Isaac Del Toro and the politics of sports in Modern Mexico

On today’s episode of the podcast we talk about Mexican cycling phenomenon Isaac Del Toro, an athlete who captured the world’s attention with his achievements in 2025. We also look at how sports have helped shape and develop Modern Mexico’s identify, and how Mexico’s social and political context have impacted the country’s athletes. Within the world of sports, Isaac Del Toro is Mexico’s top star right now. Host Nathaniel Parish Flannery talks about how he traveled to Italy to watch Del Toro compete at the Giro d’Italia, Italy’s biggest cycling race, and wrote about Del Toro for the British magazine ROULEUR. Historian David Wysocki talks about his research on the history of sports in Mexico. They also discuss the culture vs institutions debate. Wysocki's paper "Exercising the Cosmic Race: Mexican Sporting Culture and Mestizo Citizens" is available for free here: https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/625658/azu_etd_15795_sip1_m.pdf

Episode 28: Organized Crime Groups Are Attacking Cargo Trucks In Mexico

On this episode of THE MODERN MEXICO PODCAST, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to BLOOMBERG journalist Maya Averbuch about the problem of cargo truck hijacking in Mexico. Mexico is now considered to be the world's worst hotspot for cargo truck hijacking with over 100,000 violent in-transit robberies occurring over the last five years. These incidents have resulted in billions of dollars of losses over the last decade. Companies including GM, Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Philip Morris have all been affected. Cargo truck hijacking has become a major problem in Mexico. During President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, Mexico has a unique opportunity to encourage foreign investment in manufacturing. Many cities in Mexico are experiencing a boom in new industrial investment. But, foreign executives managing new facilities and operations in Mexico are discovering that Mexico presents some unique challenges when it comes to dealing with organized crime. According to the Global Organized Crime Index, Mexico is ranked as the world’s third worst country in terms of organized crime. For the last 20 years the generally accepted explanation has been that organized crime in Mexico typically tries to avoid messing with foreign manufacturing companies. For the most part, criminal groups have largely avoided kidnapping foreign executives or trying to extort companies operating factories. But, there is one type of crime that does directly impact foreign companies: cargo truck hijacking. Many remote stretches of highway in Mexico have become major hotspots for violent cargo robberies.

Episode 27: Agave Armageddon: Mexico's Mezcal & Tequila Boom

On this episode of THE MODERN MEXICO PODCAST host Nathaniel Parish Flannery talks to agave spirits expert and author David Suro about Mexico’s booming mezcal and tequila industry. Mezcal is an absolutely fascinating product. It connects some of the most isolated, rural, mountain communities in southern Mexico with consumers in the most sophisticated urban bars and restaurants in the world. There are some parallels with single origin organic coffee in that respect but within the world of spirits, mezcal is pretty unique. Whereas some premium spirits such as high end vodka have garnered attention largely through successful marketing mezcal is a product with an incredibly complex history and flavor profile. It’s unique aromas and taste are derived from the flavors of the wild agaves that used to make it, from the soil, and from the wood used to roast the agaves in underground ovens. Most mezcal is still made using traditional processes including crushing the agave with a horse-driven stone wheel called a tahona and letting it ferment in wooden barrels. Many stills continue to be heated with firewood rather than modern technology. And, the end result is an incredibly unique product that absolutely deserves to be considered as one of the most complex and sophisticated drinks on the planet. Tequila, on the other hand, has modernized and mechanized and is now produced on an industrial scale in the state of Jalisco. Mexico’s exports of mezcal and tequila have surged over the last ten years and both industries are now going through some growing pains. When it comes to mezcal 93% or around 19 out of every 20 bottles is made by small craft distillers. The production totals of mezcal are absolutely tiny in comparison to tequila. Total, mezcal production in Mexico tallies up to about 2% of the annual output of tequila. For every bottle of mezcal that Mexico makes, the country produces 49 bottles of tequila. Mezcal and tequila production techniques are different but both industries face serious constraints such as problems securing a stable supply of agave. Despite the industry's immense profitability many workers in Jalisco and Oaxaca are still underpaid. Check out the full conversation to hear David Suro, one of the co-authors of a new book called AGAVE SPIRITS: THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF MEZCALS, share his perspective. "Agave is not like grain or sugarcane or grapes where we every year we have new crops. In the case of mezcal a lot of the species of agave, they are plants that need 15, 20, 35 years to develop. But, the growth of [agave cultivation] in Oaxaca is not at the same pace of demand. So, we are now seeing a lot of species, especially wild species of agave used to produce mezcal, in danger of extinction. Rapid growth [caused] challenges we’ve never seen before," Suro explains.

Episode 26: Organized Crime Groups Are Threatening Tortilla-makers In Morelos, Mexico

Mexico’s tortilla industry is under threat from organized crime. In the state of Morelos, just outside Mexico City, tortilla-makers are complaining about local organized crime groups threatening and extorting them. More broadly, politicians and police are struggling to deal with a splintering roster of organized crime groups that are diversifying away from drug trafficking into a variety of new rackets including extorting local business owners, hijacking cargo trucks, and stealing lumber. One of the biggest challenges Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum will face is whether or not she can improve security and reduce violent crime in places such as Morelos. On this episode of the podcast, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to Washington Post journalist Mary Beth Sheridan about her article about how organized crime groups are targeting tortilla makers in Morelos.