México Centered

In this episode, Tony Payan speaks with former Mexican Sen. Emilio Álvarez Icaza about democratic backsliding under Morena, the emergence of Somos México, and the challenges of building a viable political opposition movement ahead of Mexico’s 2027 midterm elections.

John Beckham, managing director of the North American Development Bank, joined center experts Tony Payan and Ivonne Cruz to discuss the bank’s work financing sustainable infrastructure projects along the border, the politics of water scarcity, and what binational cooperation looks like in an era of climate change and industrial expansion.

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 inhibiting Mexico’s economic growth and possible ways forward, from investor uncertainty to low productivity tied to weak public investment and a large informal sector.

Andrew Paxman joined the “México Centered” podcast to discuss how Mexico’s press has contributed to its democratization, the challenges to press freedom throughout modern Mexican history, and how critical media may continue to evolve in the MORENA era.

Paco Calderón, a cartoonist who has documented much of Mexico's political and social landscape, joined “México Centered” to discuss his work and approach.

Tony Payan explores the “chocolate car” phenomenon and the black and gray markets that emerge along the U.S.-Mexico border in the absence of binational coordination with Guillermo Rosales Zárate and Juan Vega Gómez.

On “México Centered,” Isabella D’Alacio, John Lindsay-Poland, and Gerardo Álvarez join Tony Payan to explore how criminal networks traffic powerful weapons across the U.S. border into Mexico, the cultural and political obstacles to reform, and the ongoing efforts to curb the illegal arms trade.

On “México Centered,” Tony Payan explores the state of Mexico’s economy with José Antonio Meade, an economist, politician, lawyer, diplomat, and former Mexican presidential candidate.

On “México Centered,” Tony Payan explores how strategic investment and community collaboration are driving the growth of tech entrepreneurship in Chihuahua with guests Kevin Koym and Ana Victoria Gutiérrez.

Will President Trump’s mass deportation policy improve the U.S. economy and deliver greater job prospects for U.S.-born workers, as Trump has claimed? On the “México Centered” podcast, economics professor Chloe East explains why mass deportations don’t actually help U.S.-born workers and why Trump’s proposed deportations will instead come with a significant price tag.