In episode 131 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth dig into the New York Times’ story on Guillermo Zuany Portillo, the shady Chihuahua operator who helped the CIA establish a foothold in Mexico. The hosts argue the Times buried the lead: Suárez says Governor Maru Campos knew all along, which would make her guilty of treason, the same charge that has her close associate César Jáuregui behind bars.
Next, they discuss Stephen Miller’s elevation to chief of staff and what it signals for Latin America: a doubling down, not a moderation, after the midterm rebuke. They trace Miller’s fingerprints on the extrajudicial boat strikes, the illegal invasion of Venezuela, and the push for war with Iran. The hosts also cover the Democrats’ narrow failure to advance the Hegseth impeachment articles, with 11 members — all AIPAC money recipients — conveniently stuck in traffic coming from an EDW event.
Then, they turn to Paraguay, where former president Santiago Peña has been charged over the collapse of Ueno Bank, a bank allegedly capitalized with public funds, used as a personal piggy bank, and whose real business was capturing biometric data. The hosts connect the dots to the evangelical far right, a $100,000 diamond-level sponsorship of the Hispanic Prosperity Gala, and an award handed to Fernando Cerimedo — the same operative behind the region’s troll bot operations. They note the U.S. abandoned Peña instantly, a lesson for every right-wing leader counting on Washington for self-preservation.
Losers and Haters takes aim at a familiar target: Ricardo Salinas Pliego — the billionaire TV Azteca and Elektra owner.
(available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4Ft3Mvp8VY)
