The Mérida Initiative and Militarizing Mexico

The U.S. has funneled billions into allies in the region under the guise of fighting the drug traffickers. It has ripped apart countries. And the violence has only gotten worse. Decades of fighting, with little to show for it except human rights abuses, displacement, and tens of thousands of dead and disappeared.

In the last episode, host Michael Fox took you to Mexico City to walk through Mexico's Museum of Interventions and witness, first hand, the long history of foreign and, in particular, U.S. intervention in the country. 

Today, he brings listeners up to the present…. Diving headfirst into the U.S.-backed drug war in Mexico, which has overtaken the country in recent decades and fueled an epidemic of violence that has disappeared more than a hundred thousand people over the last 20 years. We’ll look at Trump’s threats, the repercussions they are having in the country. And we’ll also hear the voices of Mexicans who are standing up.

This is Episode 10 of Under the Shadow, Season 2.

Under the Shadow is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present. Season 2 responds in real time to the Trump administration’s onslaught on Latin America.

Hosted by Latin America-based journalist Michael Fox.

This podcast is produced in partnership between The Real News Network and NACLA.

Theme music by Michael Fox’s band, Monte Perdido. Monte Perdido's 2024 album Ofrenda is available on Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube or wherever you listen to music.
Other music from Blue Dot Sessions and Epidemic Sound.

Script editing by Heather Gies. Hosted, written, produced, mixed, and edited by Michael Fox.

Guests: 
Christy Thornton, Associate Professor of History at NYU
John Lindsay-Poland

Please check out the Global Exchange campaign… Stop US Arms to Mexico

Many thanks to the Mexico-based journalists Clayton Conn and Tamara Pearson for their reporting in this episode. You can find their work at… 
Clayton Conn: https://www.instagram.com/clayton.conn/
Tamara Pearson: Resistancewords.com

Resources: 

• Here is the link to Mexico’s National Museum of Interventions.
• You can check out Michael Fox’s Patreon to see exclusive pictures of the museum and the wall out front, and hear the backstory about this museum and his visit there.
• Here is the episode of Michael Fox’s podcast Stories of Resistance about the St. Patrick’s Brigade. 
• This is Christy Thornton’s book, Revolution in Development: Mexico and the Governance of the Global Economy 
• John Lindsay-Poland’s book, Plan Colombia: U.S. Ally Atrocities and Community Activism

Under the Shadow, Season 1:
You can check out the first season of Under the Shadow by clicking here

• The Beginning: Monroe and migration | Under the Shadow, Episode 1
• Panama. US Invasion. | Under the Shadow, Episode 13
• The legacy of Monroe | Under the Shadow, Bonus Episode 4 

Support Under the ShadowPlease consider supporting this podcast and Michael Fox’s reporting on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures, video, and interviews.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support.

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