In the third episode of the Modern Mexico Podcast, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to Mexico historian AS Dillingham about Day of the Dead and indigenous identity in Mexico. Dillingham's new book OAXACA RESURGENT: INDIGENEITY, DEVELOPMENT, AND INEQUALITY IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY MEXICO is about public schools, indigenous groups, and teachers unions in Oaxaca, Mexico. Dillingham explains that President "AMLO’s relationship to indigenous communities could be described as rhetorical, paternalistic and folkloric. I think he stands in a long tradition of Mexican politicians who don indigenous dress or make superficial references to indigenous communities while doing little to respectfully engage with those communities [and] their political traditions.”

Episode 3: DAY OF THE DEAD and Indigenous Identity in Mexico

In this episode of the MODERN MEXICO PODCAST host Nathaniel Parish Flannery talks to Ryan Berg, the Americas Director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank about the divergent narratives about Mexico's trajectory. Political analysts such as Ian Bremmer laud Mexico as an emerging industrial powerhouse, while many Republican politicians are calling Mexico a narco-state. Ryan says he thinks that nearshoring is happening "in spite of" Mexico's President Lopez Obrador and not because of him. He gives Lopez Obrador a C- for his nearshoring promotion policies. He also warns that violent cargo truck hijackings are a major risk for companies operating in Mexico.

Episode 10: Is Mexico a narco state or an emerging nearshoring juggernaut?

On this episode of the MODERN MEXICO PODCAST, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery talks to Steve Woodman, a Mexico-based organized crime researcher at Advanced Intelligence Solutions, about the long history of vanilla production in the state of Veracruz, Mexico by Totonaco indigenous residents. Nathaniel talks about his recent visit to Veracruz where he met with indigenous vanilla growers and learned about the problems the sector faces today. One grower gave a tip for staying safe: "Always carry a shotgun." Veracruz is a hotspot for organized crime activity and vanilla growers in the state struggle to deal with thefts of their crops during harvest season. Nathaniel and Steve talk about how the problems in the vanilla sector in Veracruz reflect bigger political dynamics in the state.

“In that area [of Mexico] we’ve seen extortion rackets targeting indigenous communities. There have been forced disappearances and murders. Overall, agricultural crime is an issue in Veracruz. Extortion of farmers has been an issue. It’s not surprising that vanilla theft occurs. It’s a very profitable crop. Robberies are very likely given the broader security context in Veracruz. It matches a trend across Mexico where organized crime has diversified into new areas," Steve explains.

Episode 14: Indigenous Vanilla Growers & Organized Crime in Veracruz, Mexico

The #1 English-language podcast about business and politics in Mexico. On the MODERN MEXICO PODCAST, host Nathaniel Parish Flannery & a diverse group of guests discuss the paradoxes & potential of the U.S.'s most important trading partner. Episodes focus on the intersection between politics, organized crime, and business. Nathaniel has been living in Mexico since 2012 and has written about Mexico for THE NEW YORK TIMES, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MONOCLE, AMERICAS QUARTERLY, and other magazines. He is now the Director of Research at LATIN AMERICAN LENS, a boutique political risk advisory firm that helps foreign executives successfully navigate Latin America.

Episode 3: DAY OF THE DEAD and Indigenous Identity in Mexico

ModernMexicoPodcast

Related tracks