Tony Payan interviews academics, former government officials, and other experts on issues central to U.S.-Mexico relations, including trade, immigration, and public safety. New episodes are released monthly. The podcast is hosted by the Claudio X. González Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute in Houston, Texas. through original research, relevant solutions to binational policy issues, and the advancement of mutual understanding, we seek to have a meaningful impact…
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
On July 1, negotiators will begin the formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact affecting billions of dollars in commerce and tens of millions of workers across North America. What priorities will each country bring to the table, and how likely is a consensus to extend the agreement for another 16 years? Ahead of the 2026 USMCA review, center experts David A.…
Can the emerging Somos México movement unite Mexico’s political opposition? Since coming to power in 2018, the Morena party has maintained broad popular support. But under its rule, Mexico’s democratic institutions have faced growing strain. Judicial and electoral reforms, the dismantling of regulatory and oversight agencies, and the militarization of public security have increasingly concentrated…
The U.S.-Mexico border has become one of the most economically dynamic corridors in the world. But rapid population growth and urbanization have brought significant social and environmental consequences for the region that are only exacerbated by extreme drought. John Beckham , managing director of the North American Development Bank, joined center experts Tony Payan and Ivonne Cruz to discuss the…
The February 22, 2026 death of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, head of Mexico’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), has reignited debate about security, governance, and the strength of Mexico’s organized crime institutions. In the days following the operation, cartel-linked violence spread across multiple states — underscoring both the reach of organized crime and the risks of…
Mexico is the United States’ largest trading partner and home to a formidable industrial base. So why has its economy continued to underperform, with GDP growth of just 0.7 percent last year? Roberto Salinas-León, president of the Mexico Business Forum and director of the Atlas Network Initiatives for Latin America, joined “México Centered” host Tony Payan to discuss the structural challenges…
The Mexican press has played a vital role in the democratization of Mexico — not just reflecting political transformations, but propelling them. That’s the history that Andrew Paxman, lays out in his new book “Mexican Watchdogs: The Rise of a Critical Press Since the 1980s.” Paxman joined the “México Centered” podcast to discuss the various challenges to press freedom throughout modern Mexican…
From the “Baker Briefing” podcast: A water crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border is growing. The 1944 Water Treaty has long guided how both nations share the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers, but climate change, drought, and growing demand are testing its limits. Guest host Tony Payan speaks with Rosario Sanchez , a senior research scientist at the Texas Water Resources Institute, and Ivonne Cruz , a…
Political cartoons serve as a powerful visual commentary on major figures, events, and issues. Paco Calderón , a cartoonist who has documented much of Mexico's political and social landscape, joined "México Centered" to discuss his work and approach. More about Tony Payan, Ph.D.: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/tony-payan Follow Tony Payan on X ( @PayanTony ) and LinkedIn . Follow…
Each year, hundreds of thousands of cars are imported illegally into Mexico from the United States. These unregistered “chocolate cars” — a play on the word “chueco,” which means “crooked” in Spanish — not only crowd out the national light vehicle market, but often fail to meet pollution and safety standards and can be used in serious crimes. The used car industry in the U.S. is partially…
In this episode of “México Centered,” experts Isabella D’Alacio , John Lindsay-Poland , and Gerardo Álvarez join Tony to shed light on the dangerous flow of firearms from the U.S. into Mexico. They explore how criminal networks traffic powerful weapons across the border, the cultural and political obstacles to reform, and the ongoing efforts to curb the illegal arms trade. Tune in for an in-depth,…
