MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter, August 15, 2025

← All Miranda IntelligenceForeign Press ChatterAugust 15, 2025
MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter, August 15, 2025

Tensions in the Mexico-US relationship dominated headlines this week. First, both the NYT and WSJ reported on a leaked directive from President Trump, ordering the Pentagon to prepare for strikes against cartels. Predictably, President Sheinbaum stated any such interventions would be ‘unwelcome’ (looking at the bigger picture, the NYT had an interesting article with the complicated historical context of US interventions in LatAm). Nonetheless, days later the Mexican government shipped a couple dozen drug kingpins to stand trial in the US, and then explained the flyover of an American drone near Mexico City as a ‘request for assistance’ in an investigation on cartel operations. Summing up matters, President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that ‘Mexico does what we tell them to do’, perhaps saying the quiet part out loud.

Staying on bilateral security matters, the New York Times had an impressively reported story on the logistics of smuggling fentanyl into the US. Meanwhile, Reuters reported on the increasingly wide scope of American legal moves, with prosecutors targeting alleged bribes paid to Pemex’s executives, and cartel-related fraud on timeshares in Puerto Vallarta. And in more offbeat news, the NYT profiled Rick Perry, former governor of Texas and one-time presidential hopeful, who now spends time in Tijuana promoting ibogaine, a potent hallucinogenic that made headlines back in June.

There were several pieces on tariff implications. Reuters covered the Mexican government’s imposition of minimum prices for tomato exports, while the WSJ noted GE is set to relocate some production from China and Mexico to the US. The NYT reported carmakers are absorbing some of the impact from tariffs, for now; it also highlighted efforts on both sides of the border to tackle the threat of screwworms. For its part, Bloomberg reported on efforts by Canadian officials to engage their Mexican counterparts.

On the domestic business front, Bloomberg covered Citi’s Jane Fraser visit to Mexico, including a stop at Palacio Nacional, as the US bank moves forward with its plans to spin-off Banamex; it also had an upbeat article on fintech Stori’s path to an eventual IPO. Less cheerfully, the NYT reported on the controversy surrounding Adidas’ ‘Oaxacan-inspired’ new shoes, which were seen as cultural appropriation.

Shifting gears, the Times had a delightful story on a new trend for destination weddings: hiring a shaman to prevent rain. Spoiler alert: results have been mixed. Reuters also reported on Waldog, an AI-powered robot roaming Monterrey, trying to raise awareness about animal abuse and welfare. Meanwhile, the AP had yet another story on the beloved axolotl, with ongoing efforts by scientists to collect its DNA from Mexico City’s canals.

Lastly, on this week’s MexMoves, Damian and Eduardo speak with Ernesto Piedras, one of the country’s leading consultants and experts on the digital economy, about the recent telecom reform. They also cover Western Union’s purchase of rival Intermex, the fallout for Mexican beverage giant Cuervo from Canada’s rejection of U.S.-made spirits, the potential takeover of a controlling stake in Banamex by Chico Pardo, the latest on Mexican fintechs, and the storm over Adidas’s alleged cultural appropriation. You can listen to it here.

Photo of the Week

Though Robyn Panarisi and her husband Blake hired a “rain witch” to keep storms away from their destination wedding in Mexico, umbrellas were required for the ceremony. Photo by Taryn Baxter for The New York Times.

FOREIGN PRESS COVERAGE

Trump Directs Military to Target Foreign Drug Cartels

08/08/25, The New York Times, Helene Cooper et al

Trump Orders Pentagon to Prepare to Target Latin American Drug Cartels

08/08/25, The Wall Street Journal, Lara Seligman et al

These Are Drug Cartels Designated as Terrorists by the U.S.

08/09/25, The New York Times, Lynsey Chutel

Mexico’s President Says U.S. Forces Are Unwelcome in Her Country

08/08/25, The New York Times, Maria Abi-Habib

Trump’s Cartel Order Revives Bitter Memories in Latin America

08/10/25, The New York Times, Simon Romero and Annie Correal

Mexico and Brazil Rebut Trump’s Claims About Violence in Their Cities