Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The worst crisis in U.S.-Mexico relations in a century — and it's still escalating.
Josh Treviño, author of Mexican Standoff in The Spectator World, joins Ariana Guajardo to break down how the U.S.-Mexico relationship went from cautious optimism to full-blown crisis in a matter of weeks.
The deaths of two CIA officers in Chihuahua. The indictments of a sitting governor and senator from Sinaloa. A Mexican ruling party with deep ties to the cartels it was supposed to fight. And a president who once had a reputation for diplomatic deftness — now scrambling to hold her coalition together.
Josh and Ariana cover it all:
- What soberanía actually means in Mexican politics — and why it's more cover than principle
- How the Morena party's relationship with the Sinaloa cartel shaped Mexican governance
- Why the indictments of Governor Rocha and Senator Encinas are just the opening move
- What escalation actually looks like — from USMCA leverage to financial pressure to the options no one wants to reach for
- Why AMLO's son just quietly stepped down as party chair to seek legislative immunity
- What Guatemala's new security arrangement with the U.S. means for Mexico's southern border
The U.S. has tools it hasn't used yet. Mexico can still step off the escalator. The question is whether anyone in Palacio Nacional has the statecraft to do it.
Look for Josh Treviño's full piece, "Mexican Standoff," in the upcoming June 8th print edition of The Spectator World.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-country/id1671237964
Subscribe on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6iz8VwMiAU7FvW7Ewj9Vez
The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound research and outreach.
Funded by thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations, the Foundation does not accept government funds or contributions to influence the outcomes of its research.
The public is demanding a different direction for their government, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing the ideas that enable policymakers to chart that new course.
Website: texaspolicy.com
X: twitter.com/tppf
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The worst crisis in U.S.-Mexico relations in a century — and it's still escalating.
Josh Treviño, author of Mexican Standoff in The Spectator World, joins Ariana Guajardo to break down how the U.S.-Mexico relationship went from cautious optimism to full-blown crisis in a matter of weeks.
The deaths of two CIA officers in Chihuahua. The indictments of a sitting governor and senator from Sinaloa. A Mexican ruling party with deep ties to the cartels it was supposed to fight. And a president who once had a reputation for diplomatic deftness — now scrambling to hold her coalition together.
Josh and Ariana cover it all:
- What soberanía actually means in Mexican politics — and why it's more cover than principle
- How the Morena party's relationship with the Sinaloa cartel shaped Mexican governance
- Why the indictments of Governor Rocha and Senator Encinas are just the opening move
- What escalation actually looks like — from USMCA leverage to financial pressure to the options no one wants to reach for
- Why AMLO's son just quietly stepped down as party chair to seek legislative immunity
- What Guatemala's new security arrangement with the U.S. means for Mexico's southern border
The U.S. has tools it hasn't used yet. Mexico can still step off the escalator. The question is whether anyone in Palacio Nacional has the statecraft to do it.
Look for Josh Treviño's full piece, "Mexican Standoff," in the upcoming June 8th print edition of The Spectator World.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-country/id1671237964
Subscribe on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6iz8VwMiAU7FvW7Ewj9Vez
The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation by educating and affecting policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound research and outreach.
Funded by thousands of individuals, foundations, and corporations, the Foundation does not accept government funds or contributions to influence the outcomes of its research.
The public is demanding a different direction for their government, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation is providing the ideas that enable policymakers to chart that new course.
Website: texaspolicy.com
X: twitter.com/tppf
Facebook: facebook.com/texaspolicy
Instagram: instagram.com/texaspolicy
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/texas-public-policy-foundation
