On this episode of the podcast host Nathaniel Parish Flannery speaks to Andrew Paxman, a historian and a professor at Mexico’s CIDE university, who recently published a new book called MEXICAN WATCHDOGS: The Rise of a Critical Press since the 1980s. Right now media outlets and journalists in Mexico are facing unprecented challenges. During the 4T era of the presidencies of Mexico’s former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and current president Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s critical media outlets have had to respond to new policies that restrict access to intervews and information as well as offical government rhetoric that is overtly hostile to the media. Over the last three decades, Mexican media outlets have played a critical role in raising public awareness about problems such as political corruption and organized crime. During the 21st century Mexico has transitioned away from a single party semi authoritian system of government and embraced an imperfect form of multiparty democracy. Along the way journalists in Mexico have found a way to share independent and critical analysis and publish in-depth investigative reports on politics, business and organized crime. At the same time, as organized crime activity and violence surged to unprecedented levels, journalists in Mexico have faced new threats of violence both from criminals and politicians. Former President Lopez Obrador’s six years in office, which ended in 2024, are now recognized as the most violent sexenio in modern Mexican history. An astounding 47 journalists were killed during Lopez Obrador’s time in office. Lopez Obrador slashed the budget for public advertising for news outlets that published critical journalism and embraced an openly hostile strategy for insulting and undermining the media in Mexico, describing them as part of the political opposition and even part of the mafia in Mexico. Current president claudia sheinbuam speaks in a more measured tone than her predecessor, but she continues to publicly criticize Mexico’s journalists. Mexico’s media workers now face threats of legal action from politicians who are unhappy with their reporting as well as ongoing threats of physical violence when reporting on corruption or crime. In January2026, the group Reporters Without Borders tallied a count of 11 journalists murdered in Mexico during the first few months of Claudia Sheinbaum’s presidency. On today’s podcast we’re taking a look at the development of Mexico’s independent media outlets during the 21st century and the current challenges journalists in Mexico are confonting. Paxman explains the history of news outlets such as Proceso and the impact of journalists such as Carmen Aristegui.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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