Ioan Grillo has spent decades on the ground in Mexico watching the cartels evolve, and his assessment is sobering. Violence has shifted form more than it's receded. Governments change rhetoric, not reality. The U.S. is more involved than anyone admits. And Sheinbaum is threading a needle between Washington's pressure and Mexican sovereignty. A conversation you won't find anywhere else.
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Timestamps:
(00:00) – Welcome and Guest Intro
(01:33) – Name Pronunciation
(02:46) – How Cartels Evolved
(03:35) – Violence Plateau Explained
(08:04) – Homicide Stats vs Reality
(10:01) – Sheinbaum Security Strategy
(14:28) – US Role and Intervention
(15:54) – Trump Era Cartel Priority
(20:51) – Sovereignty and Mixed Views
(24:38) – Extraditions and Double Talk
(27:11) – US Role In Mexico
(28:23) – CIA Tactics Debate
(29:11) – Bukele Model Questions
(30:22) – Why Bukele Rose
(34:15) – Crackdown Tradeoffs
(37:53) – Mexico Geography Limits
(39:36) – What Tough Looks Like
(43:19) – Journalism Under Threat
(47:49) – Staying Sane Reporting
(53:01) – Closing And Links
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Referenced in the Show:
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Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com
Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416
Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap
Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe
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The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com
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Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.
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May 21, 2026