In this episode, Mariana speaks with Tamanna and Travis Bembenek, owners of the Mexico News Daily about the other side of the migration coin: the millions of Americans (and other nationalities) migrating to Mexico to live, work, or start a business and the impact they are having in the local communities. They discuss the challenges and opportunities of starting a new business in Mexico, the importance for the Mexican government to expedite work visas to allow for the technology ecosystem to grow, and the challenges/opportunities they see as business owners. They also talk about how journalism is a dangerous business in Mexico and how they avoid falling into dangerous territory.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Andrew Selee, President of the Migration Policy Institute and Carlos Heredia Associate Professor at CIDE about the facts and the politics in both the U.S. and Mexico behind the surge in immigration flows. They dive deep into the facts to understand what is attracting so many people—not only from Mexico or Central America but also from China, India, Africa, and the Middle East—to risk their lives (and a lot of money) to cross the border illegally. They also speak about the impact that immigration is having on the Mexican side of the border, they discuss what the current bipartisan Senate immigration bill would achieve, if it ever became law, and how to improve the current asylum system which is being abused. They analyze what the United States could do to improve border security, how governments are using migrants for political gain, and how President Lopez Obrador from Mexico is gaming the system.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with David Velez, co-founder and CEO of Nubank about how Nubank evolved from an initiative to kill fat fees and poor service in Brazil into the largest digital bank in the world. They also discuss how Fintech is shaking the financial sector in Latin America not only by boosting competition but also by bringing new technologies and services to millions that had previously been ignored. They dive into the pros and cons of Mexico’s Fintech ecosystem and what it will take for Mexico to jump into the global bandwagon of a digital payments system. They also speak about Nu’s regional strategy, their debut on Wall Street, the opportunity in Latin America, and the necessary qualities for an entrepreneur to succeed in the region.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Martín Escobari, Head of Global Growth Equity, Co-President, Managing Director, Head of Latin America and Chairman of General Atlantic's Investment Committee, and Luis Cervantes, Managing Director and Head of GA's Mexico City Office. They discuss the factors that have contributed to the emergence of an important entrepreneurial ecosystem in Latin America and define what barriers are still hindering its future potential. They compare the Latin American environment with that of other emerging markets and explain how entrepreneurs are adapting to a world of higher interest rates. They also converse about the industries that are being transformed such as fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, and security, among others; and how the start ups are increasing competition and improving the lives of millions. Finally, they explain the transformational nature of AI and how all companies are experimenting with it.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Tania Ortiz Mena, President of Sempra Infrastructure, about Mexico’s large and diversified base of energy sources—ranging from oil, gas, solar, wind, and hydro—and what would it take for Mexico not only to satisfy growing demand but also to take full advantage of its potential. They also speak about the current state of Mexico’s electricity and gas infrastructure, about the important bottlenecks that exists today, and about the need for the government to focus its investments in transmission lines. They also emphasize the billions of dollars in investments that could materialize if the government were to work closely with the private sector to achieve energy transition.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, and Evan Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of Chubb. They delve into the ways North America stands to benefit from current global tensions. They also discuss the notions of globalization and regionalization, and what Mexico needs to do enhance its global competitiveness, attract greater investments, and achieve its full potential. Larry and Evan also share their optimism for the region and discuss how the negative headlines we see about Mexico do not tell the full story about what is happening in the country.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Dr. Luis Rubio, former Chairman of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations and Chair of Mexico Evalua, about his most recent book titled On Your Marks. They discuss why the upcoming Presidential election will define the trajectory of Mexico in the near future, and whether Mexico will be able to create the necessary conditions to leverage the nearshoring wave. They also discuss various scenarios that could unfold between now and the June 2024 elections, as well as the economic and political conditions under which the next President will have to govern. Additionally, they explore the likelihood of a crisis and how the rhetoric of the U.S. Presidential election might impact the outcome of the Mexican election.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Ken Smith, the former head negotiator from the Mexico side of the USMCA agreement and with Scott Miller co-host of The Trade Guys, a CSIS podcast specializing in trade policies.  They talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of USMCA as it approaches its third year anniversary, and how it differs from the former NAFTA. They also discuss the importance of USMCA’s dispute settlement mechanism and why the U.S.government hasn’t called Mexico to a panel regarding bio corn and the country’s nationalistic energy policies. They also speak about the potential damage caused by the U.S. for not abiding by the rulings of the panel over its interpretation of the rules of origin in the auto sector, and about what needs to be done to strengthen the rules that underpin trade and investment in North America.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and former U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Julio Rank Wright, Regional VP for Latin America at IRC. They discuss why the images of chaos and desperation seen at the US-Mexico border are just the tip of an international trend as millions of people—from around the world—are on the move due to civil wars, climate disasters, or some type persecution. They explain the difference between a refugee, an asylum seeker, and an economic migrant and clarify the necessary criteria to grant asylum or not. They also speak about the new asylum policies of the Biden Administration and what is needed to avoid people from falling into the hands of smugglers and traffickers.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings scholar of crime, conflict, and non-traditional security threats, and Guillermo Valdes, former head of Mexico’s Center for Investigation and National Security, CISEN. They discuss the evolution of Mexico’s cartels, the failure of the Mexican government to curtail their growth, and how they have diversified into other illegal and legal businesses. They also speak about how the lack of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico—and the U.S. and China—is making it impossible to dismantle the Fentanyl supply chains and how Chinese and Mexican drug and wildlife trafficking activities are colliding, threatening various species and Mexico’s biodiversity.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alejandra Palacios, former head of Mexico’s Economic Competition Commission, COFECE, and Luis Gutierrez, President for Latin America of Prologis, the world’s largest industrial real estate investment trust and the biggest owner of industrial parks in Mexico. They discuss why Mexico’s manufacturing sector is receiving record numbers of FDI, in what specific sectors could Mexico increase its share in U.S. manufacturing imports, and what is needed for industrial park supply to catch up with increased demand. They also speak about the main constraints that exist to allow Mexico to take full advantage of this moment and how despite the current unfriendly political environment, C-Suites from around the world are focusing on long term geopolitical trends and moving ahead with their plans to shift a piece of their manufacturing capacity down to Mexico.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Kellie Meiman, Managing Partner at McLarty Associates and former USTR for South America, and Juan Carlos Baker, Mexico’s USMCA negotiator and former Under Secretary of the Economy. They discuss the importance for the three North American countries to abide by USMCA rules and commitments to create the needed certainty to unfreeze nearshoring investments and succeed in creating a more competitive region. They also speak about the competitive advantages Mexico brings (or could bring) to the table, “Buy America” and the U.S.’s recent industrial policies, and how energy is the missing link that could unlock the region’s full potential.

In this episode, Mariana speaks with Alonso Cervera, Managing Director in the Emerging Markets Economics Research team of Credit Suisse about Mexico’s record flows of foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2022, Mexico’s strengths and weaknesses to take a share of China’s exports to the U.S., and about how—despite current economic policies — Mexico will be able to catch the nearshoring wave. They also speak about the possible risks that could slow this trajectory and the economic outlook for 2023.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with former congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lethinen (R-FL-27) about the unmaterialized red wave during the 2022 midterm elections. They also discuss the importance of the Latino electorate, Governor DeSantis’s role in making Florida an outlier, and how a Republican-controlled House could modify policies affecting Mexico and trade enforcement.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Dr. Luis Rubio, Chairman of the think tank Mexico Evalua, about the transcendental changes that have occurred in Mexico under the Presidency of Lopez Obrador, why the immense power concentrated in the Mexican presidency constitutes a crucial challenge for development, and AMLO’s desire to control a good chunk of the economy and to protect his signature legislation on electricity—even if this translates into a mismatch between the United States-Canada against Mexico. They also speak about AMLO’s views of the United States and the macroeconomic conditions that could push AMLO to make bold decisions prior to the upcoming 2024 elections.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo, former lead negotiator for Mexico of the new USMCA free trade agreement and a current member of Mexico’s lower house of Congress for the PRI party. They discuss the trade dispute with Mexico over the country’s energy policies which restrict market access and favor two state own enterprises. CFE, the state run utility and Pemex, the oil company. To also focus on how these policies have not only undermined private companies that have poured billions into the sector, but how they have also damaged North America’s energy security and its ability to produce competitive, abundant and clean electricity.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Lisa Sanchez, the CEO of Mexico United Against Crime, a nongovernmental organization in Mexico. They discuss the failures in Mexico’s public security strategy and why women, just for being women, are particularly targeted. They also explain that the demands of the women’s movement in Mexico are not about equal rights as in other countries but rather about the basic human rights to live and be protected by the state.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Ricardo Pascoe, the former Mexican ambassador to Cuba. They discuss the political and economic conditions that exist in the island and why—despite the recent crackdowns on dissent and the economic collapse of the Cuban communist model—President López Obrador has decided to side with President Díaz Canel over President Biden to build a closer relationship.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with former congressman Filemon Vela Jr. from Texas about how the immigration debate has overshadowed the complete U.S.-Mexico relationship, despite its vastness and importance for the livelihoods of millions on both sides of the border. They also discuss how internal politics have proved a formidable barrier to smart immigration reform, which impacts the United States’ need for laborers and the competitiveness of North America.

In this episode, Mariana Campero speaks with Luis Cervantes, managing director and head of General Atlantic's Mexico City office; Adolfo Babats, CEO of CLIP, one of the first unicorns to emerge from Mexico; and Ricardo Amper, CEO of Incode. They discuss the opportunity that private equity and other investors have identified in Mexico and Latin America and how entrepreneurs are using technology to create thriving businesses that are turning some of the big problems and market deficiencies in the region into enormous opportunities for growth.