Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
What does Emiliano Zapata have to do with Mexico's political crisis in 2026? More than you'd think.
Joshua Treviño opens with a reading from John Womack's landmark 1968 work Zapata and the Mexican Revolution — a portrait of a man who led a revolution simply because he refused to let his village's land be taken. From there, Joshua and Ariana unpack why Zapata remains a contested figure claimed by the left but deeply relevant to anyone who wants to understand why conservative politics has historically failed in Mexico, and what it would take to change that.
Then: the most turbulent ten days in recent Mexican political history. The US Department of Justice indicted Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and Senator Enrique Inzunza back in April, and this August everything came to a head. AMLO's son lost his American visa. Rocha Moya briefly attempted to reclaim the governorship and was swiftly isolated by the entire Morena party apparatus. Inzunza returned to the Senate, but as an independent. Joshua breaks down what actually happened, what the institution of the fuero has to do with it, and why none of this would have happened without American pressure.
Plus: a close look at Regeneración, Morena's party publication, and imagery that Joshua argues crosses a line no American political publication could get away with.
Topics covered:
- Emiliano Zapata, patriotism, and the political appeal Morena figured out
- The DOJ indictments of Rocha Moya and Inzunza
- AMLO's family under pressure from Washington
- The shell game Morena is playing and why it won't work
- Regeneración's propaganda and what it says about US-Mexico relations
- Where Mexico goes from here ahead of 2027 midterms
Joshua Treviño opens with a reading from John Womack's landmark 1968 work Zapata and the Mexican Revolution — a portrait of a man who led a revolution simply because he refused to let his village's land be taken. From there, Joshua and Ariana unpack why Zapata remains a contested figure claimed by the left but deeply relevant to anyone who wants to understand why conservative politics has historically failed in Mexico, and what it would take to change that.
Then: the most turbulent ten days in recent Mexican political history. The US Department of Justice indicted Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and Senator Enrique Inzunza back in April, and this August everything came to a head. AMLO's son lost his American visa. Rocha Moya briefly attempted to reclaim the governorship and was swiftly isolated by the entire Morena party apparatus. Inzunza returned to the Senate, but as an independent. Joshua breaks down what actually happened, what the institution of the fuero has to do with it, and why none of this would have happened without American pressure.
Plus: a close look at Regeneración, Morena's party publication, and imagery that Joshua argues crosses a line no American political publication could get away with.
Topics covered:
- Emiliano Zapata, patriotism, and the political appeal Morena figured out
- The DOJ indictments of Rocha Moya and Inzunza
- AMLO's family under pressure from Washington
- The shell game Morena is playing and why it won't work
- Regeneración's propaganda and what it says about US-Mexico relations
- Where Mexico goes from here ahead of 2027 midterms
Creators and Guests
Host
Host
Joshua Treviño
Joshua S. Treviño is the Chief of Intelligence and Research at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, in which role he explores pathways for future Foundation action and develops forecasts for Texas and the nation. Prior to his service as CIO, he was vice president of strategy at the Illinois Policy Institute in Chicago and a United States Army officer.
What is The Hard Country?
Joshua Treviño and Ariana Guajardo of the Texas Public Policy Foundation discuss U.S.-Mexico relations, border security, and some Texas history.