Mexico preaches the Estrada Doctrine of “non-intervention”—but the MORENA regime under AMLO and Claudia Sheinbaum has propped up dictators in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and beyond while trafficking millions across the U.S. border. Joshua Treviño and Ariana Guajardo trace the hypocrisy from the 1860s French invasion and Maximilian’s fall to today’s oil shipments to Havana and Cuban “doctors” (read: spies) in Mexico City.

00:00 – Intro: Lincoln, Maximilian, and the birth of U.S. non-recognition
02:15 – The Estrada Doctrine: 1930 promise Mexico never kept
05:40 – Spanish Civil War: Mexico arms the Reds alongside Stalin
08:10 – 1915 Plan de San Diego: Mexican-backed race war in Texas
12:30 – 2019: Mexican Air Force rescues Evo Morales
15:45 – CELAC vs. OAS: MORENA’s anti-U.S. parallel summit
19:20 – Sheinbaum at CELAC 2025: “No coercion”… while sending oil to Maduro
22:50 – Cuban agents in Mexico & record oil exports to Havana
26:30 – María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize—and Sheinbaum’s silence

Joshua Treviño and Ariana Guajardo break down a provocative New Yorker article about the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles and its role during immigration raids in MacArthur Park. They dive into the complex dynamics of Mexican identity, U.S.-Mexico relations, and the historical roots of Los Angeles—challenging the narrative that it remains a "Mexican city."

They also explore Mexico’s 700th anniversary celebration of Tenochtitlan, the controversial projection of Aztec imagery onto Mexico City’s Catholic cathedral, and the bold move by a local mayor to remove statues of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

Sources referenced in the episode:

• The Fight for Mexican Los Angeles
• Mexican Migration Project
• President Claudia Sheinbaum's post on X

Dive into the complex relationship between Mexico and Spain in this captivating episode of The Hard Country. Hosts Joshua Treviño and Ariana Guajardo explore 500 years of history, from the Spanish conquest to modern-day diplomatic drama. Why does Mexico’s civic identity reject its Spanish roots? How do figures like AMLO and Claudia Sheinbaum fuel anti-Spanish sentiment?

Discover the cultural, political, and economic ties that bind these nations, despite centuries of tension. From Hernán Cortés’ unmarked tomb to Mexico’s trade with Spain, this episode uncovers the myths, heroes, and conflicts shaping Mexico today.