México Centered
Two countries. One conversation.
Tony Payan, director of the Claudio X. González Center for the U.S. and Mexico, interviews guests from government, academia, and beyond on issues central to U.S.-Mexico relations, including trade, immigration, and public safety.
Latest Episode
Can Somos México Revitalize Mexican Democracy?
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.
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The Binational Bank Tackling the Border’s Water Crisis
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.
Tony Payan, Ivonne Cruz April 13, 2026
Why Is Mexico’s Economy Struggling — and Can It Turn Around?
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.
Tony Payan February 27, 2026
Who Holds Power to Account? Press Freedom and Democracy in Mexico
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.
Tony Payan January 21, 2026
Drawing Power: Political Cartooning in Mexico
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 September 25, 2025
‘Chocolate Cars’: Illegal Vehicle Imports to Mexico From the US
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.
Tony Payan August 18, 2025
Stopping the Flow of US Arms to Mexico
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.
Tony Payan July 3, 2025
Binational Dialogues: José Antonio Meade
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.
Tony Payan May 22, 2025
Boosting Tech Entrepreneurship in Chihuahua
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.
Tony Payan May 15, 2025
Trump’s Mass Deportation Policy and the US Labor Market
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.
Chloe East, Tony Payan April 10, 2025
Mexico’s Artificial Intelligence Future (Part 2)
Laura Ripani and Alejandro Dabdoub join host Tony Payan on the “México Centered” podcast to explore major questions about the future of work as artificial intelligence advances.
Laura Ripani, Alejandro Dabdoub, Tony Payan March 26, 2025