Podcasts about Mexican Revolution

During World War I, despite American neutrality, military mobilization was already underway. North Dakotans answered the call when President Wilson mobilized the National Guard for duty along the Mexican border in response to turmoil from the Mexican Revolution and Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico, in March 1916. The Guardsmen garrisoned the border, freeing Regular Army troops to pursue Villa and his allies.

The western front grinds to a slow halt, despite the best efforts of the generals on both sides who appear to be overly committed to killing their own men in pointless offensives... Across the pond, America tries to stay neutral while watching the unfolding Mexican Revolution to the south. Western Civ 2.0 

Hello friends, and welcome back to Hidden History of Texas. This is episode 92 – this is the first in a series I'm calling The Rio Grande Frontier – Welcome to El Paso: The Pass of the North When most people think about Texas history, their minds usually start in the  east. They think of Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Austin's Colony, the Alamo, cattle drives, oil fields, and railroads. But today, I want us to start from the opposite direction. Let's travel nearly six hundred miles west of San Antonio, across deserts, mountains, and vast stretches of open country, to a city unlike any other in Texas. A city that was old before Texas existed. A city that was part of Spain, then Mexico, and only later became part of Texas. A city that sits on the Rio Grande and has served as a gateway between worlds for more than four centuries. In my lifetime, I've either driven through or, when I was a child, been driven through El Paso numerous times. But we never really stopped and visited the city, in fact, most of the times I drove to the west coast, I would usually drive through El Paso and stop in Las Cruces New Mexico. I really don't know why, except when I was driving the Freeway just didn't seem to offer any real enticing places to stop. The one occasion that I was able to actually spent time in El Paso was when a company I was working for asked me to temporarily run their branch office. After spending some time there, I realized that El Paso was and is distinctly different. We Texans have a tendency to talk about Texas as if it's a single culture. But standing in El Paso, listening to conversations switch effortlessly between English and Spanish, (or as we call it using Spanglish) and  looking across the Rio Grande toward Ciudad Juárez, I understood that Texas has always been more complicated, and more interesting, than that. So join with me as we explore El Paso. The story begins long before there was a state of Texas. Long before there was an Alamo. Long before Stephen F. Austin brought settlers into Mexican Texas. In 1598, Spanish explorer and colonizer Juan de Oñate led an expedition north from Mexico. Near present-day El Paso, his expedition crossed the Rio Grande and entered lands that Spain hoped to claim and settle. That crossing took place more than twenty years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Think about that for a moment. Many Texans think of San Antonio as the oldest chapter of Texas history. But the El Paso region was already part of the Spanish frontier before the first permanent European settlement was established in San Antonio. For centuries, this crossing would become one of the most important gateways in North America. The Spanish called it El Paseo del Norte. The Pass of the North. And that name tells us everything we need to know about why the city exists. To understand El Paso, you have to forget the modern map for a moment. Today, we see a border separating the United States and Mexico. But for much of history, this region was not viewed as a dividing line. It was a corridor. A road. A meeting place. A connection between communities. Travelers moving north toward Santa Fe passed through here. Merchants passed through here. Soldiers passed through here. Missionaries passed through here. Families settled here. Trade flourished here. For generations, El Paso was less a frontier outpost than a crossroads of cultures. One of the most dramatic moments in its history came in 1680. That year, Indigenous Pueblo peoples in New Mexico launched what we historians call the Pueblo Revolt. Spanish settlements throughout New Mexico were attacked, and surviving colonists fled south. Many of them arrived at El Paso. For a time, El Paso became a refuge and administrative center for Spanish authorities driven from New Mexico. It is one of those remarkable stories that rarely appears in Texas history textbooks. For a period of time, the future of Spanish New Mexico was being directed from what is now Texas. As centuries passed, El Paso developed in ways very different from the rest of Texas. When settlers were arriving in East Texas from the American South, El Paso remained connected to older Spanish and Mexican traditions. Its trade routes stretched toward Santa Fe and Chihuahua. Its culture reflected centuries of interaction among Indigenous peoples, Spanish settlers, Mexicans, and frontier communities. In many ways, El Paso belonged to a different world than the one developing around Houston, Galveston, or Austin. And perhaps that's still true today. When Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, life in El Paso did not suddenly transform overnight. The city remained geographically distant from the centers of political power. The Republic of Texas claimed the region, but for many years its influence remained limited. The people of El Paso continued living lives shaped by trade, family, faith, and relationships that extended across the Rio Grande. The border on a map often meant far less than the connections between people. Everything changed with the arrival of the railroad. In the late nineteenth century, rail lines connected El Paso to the rest of Texas and the growing United States. Suddenly, a city that had once seemed isolated became an important transportation hub. Businesses arrived. Population increased. Investment followed. And with growth came many of the colorful characters we associate with the American West. Lawmen. Gamblers. Cowboys. Outlaws. Railroad men. Entrepreneurs. The frontier boomtown had arrived. Then came another chapter that few Americans remember today. The Mexican Revolution. For people living in El Paso, this wasn't distant foreign news. It was happening across the river. Residents could see troop movements. Hear gunfire. Watch history unfold from their own community. Few American cities have experienced anything quite like that. Imagine standing in downtown El Paso and witnessing the turbulence of a revolution taking place just beyond the water. Today, El Paso remains one of the most distinctive cities in Texas. It sits in a different time zone than most of the state. It is physically closer to California, Arizona, and New Mexico than it is to many of Texas's major population centers. Its landscape is different. Its history is different. Its culture is different. Yet El Paso is not somehow less Texan because of those differences. In many ways, it reminds us of something important. Texas has never been a single story. It has always been many stories woven together. Spanish frontiers. Mexican communities. Indigenous nations. German settlements. Czech farming towns. Cotton plantations. Oil fields. Railroad centers. Border cities. Each contributed something unique to the state we know today. Personal Reflection When you drive into El Paso from the East on I10, your eyes are drawn to the Franklin Mountains, now if you're like me you wonder about the stories you've heard about lost gold mines being there.  Maybe your imagination shifts to the magical power many of the indigenous people's believe the mountains hold. Maybe you think of the thousands of people who have walked or ridden their horses through the pass. The indigenous peoples who lived in the area for thousands of years such as the Mansos, Jumanos, the Mescalero, or any of the nomadic groups who came into the area.  One thing I can promise you is that if you get off the interstate and go downtown one thing you'll notice is how different the city feels from Austin, Houston, or Dallas. It's a city with a multitude of cultures and life forces. If you're lucky, you'll start to reflect  on how easy it is for Texans to forget that communities on opposite ends of the state can have entirely different histories while still sharing the same identity. El Paso is not merely a city on the western edge of Texas. For centuries, it was a gateway. A crossing place. A meeting place. A place where cultures, languages, economies, and histories came together. And perhaps that is why its story remains so important. Because if we truly want to understand Texas, we have to understand all of Texas. Not just the places at the center of the map. But also the places at the edges. Sometimes the edges have the most interesting stories of all. I'm Hank Wilson, and this has been Hidden History of Texas. Join me next time as we continue our journey along the Rio Grande Frontier.

Elena Poniatowska, Mexico's most celebrated journalist and one of the most significant literary voices in the Spanish-speaking world, argues in this conversation that the crisis of contemporary journalism is inseparable from the collapse of critical reading—and that both are symptoms of a deeper cultural abandonment. Born in Paris in 1932 to a French-Polish father and Mexican mother, Poniatowska contends that her formation as a writer was shaped by displacement, by learning to listen to those rendered voiceless by history, and by understanding that journalism must be an act of solidarity before it is anything else. Widely credited with helping to establish the genre of testimonio in Latin American letters, she transformed the voices of the marginalised into literature that forced an entire nation to confront its own silence. She maintains that her landmark work La Noche de Tlatelolco was not a journalistic achievement but a moral obligation, and reflects on her decision to refuse the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize, asking who would award the dead. Poniatowska insists that the greatest threat to literature and journalism today is not artificial intelligence but the disappearance of patience—the willingness to sit with a text, a story, or a life long enough for meaning to emerge. At 94, she affirms her belief in the innate goodness of human beings as not a sentiment but a necessity.Elena Poniatowska, la periodista más célebre de México y una de las voces literarias más significativas del mundo hispanohablante, sostiene en esta conversación que la crisis del periodismo contemporáneo es inseparable del colapso de la lectura crítica—y que ambos son síntomas de un abandono cultural más profundo. Nacida en París en 1932 de padre franco-polaco y madre mexicana, Poniatowska afirma que su formación como escritora estuvo marcada por el desplazamiento, por aprender a escuchar a quienes la historia había silenciado, y por comprender que el periodismo debe ser ante todo un acto de solidaridad. Ampliamente reconocida por haber contribuido a establecer el género del testimonio en las letras latinoamericanas, transformó las voces de los marginados en literatura que obligó a una nación entera a confrontar su propio silencio. Sostiene que su obra emblemática La Noche de Tlatelolco no fue un logro periodístico sino una obligación moral, y reflexiona sobre su decisión de rechazar el Premio Xavier Villaurrutia, preguntando quién iba a premiar a los muertos. Poniatowska insiste en que la mayor amenaza para la literatura y el periodismo hoy no es la inteligencia artificial sino la desaparición de la paciencia—la disposición a permanecer con un texto, una historia o una vida el tiempo suficiente para que emerja el significado. A los 94 años, reafirma su creencia en la bondad innata de los seres humanos no como un sentimiento sino como una necesidad.English transcript:SAVAGE MINDS — Elena PoniatowskaJulian Vigo (00:00:15):Welcome to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:00:26):I am your host, Julian Vigo.Julian Vigo (00:00:30):Today's guest is Elena Poniatowska Amor,Julian Vigo (00:00:33):daughter of a French father of Polish origin, Jean E.Julian Vigo (00:00:37):Poniatowski, and Mexican mother Paula Amor.Julian Vigo (00:00:41):She was born in Paris in 1932.Julian Vigo (00:00:46):She has practiced journalism since 1953 at the newspapers El Día, Excélsior, Novedades, and La Jornada.Julian Vigo (00:00:57):She is the first woman to receive the National Journalism Prize.Julian Vigo (00:01:02):Among her works is La Noche de Tlatelolco,Julian Vigo (00:01:05):a classic since its publication, for which she was awarded the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize,Julian Vigo (00:01:12):which she refused, asking who was going to award the dead.Julian Vigo (00:01:17):Her novels and stories include La Flor de Lis,Julian Vigo (00:01:20):De Noche Vienes and Tlapalería,Julian Vigo (00:01:24):Paseo de la Reforma,Julian Vigo (00:01:26):Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío,Julian Vigo (00:01:28):The Life of a Mexican Soldadera,Julian Vigo (00:01:31):Querido Diego Te Abraza Quiela, Tinísima, winner of the Mazatlán Prize in 1992, La Piel del Cielo,Julian Vigo (00:01:40):winner of the Alfaguara Novel Prize in 2001, and El Tren Pasa Primero,Julian Vigo (00:01:48):about the lives of Mexican railway workers,Julian Vigo (00:01:52):winner of the Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize in 2007. Leonora won the Premio Biblioteca Breve Seix Barral in 2011. El Universo o Nada (2013) is the biography ofJulian Vigo (00:02:07):astrophysicist Guillermo Haro. Ondas de la Niña Mala is her first poetry collection, andJulian Vigo (00:02:14):her children's books include Boda en Chimalistac, La Vendedora de Nubes,Julian Vigo (00:02:20):El Burro que Metió la Pata, Sansimonsi, illustrated by Rafael Barajas el Fisgón, and ElJulian Vigo (00:02:27):Niño Estrellero by Fernando Robles, and El Charito Cantor by Osvaldo Hernández.Julian Vigo (00:02:34):Her most recent novel, El Amante Polaco, portrays the last king of Poland, Stanisław AugustJulian Vigo (00:02:41):Poniatowski. Translated into 20 languages. Gabi Brimmer and Las Mil y Una, the story ofJulian Vigo (00:02:48):Paulina,Julian Vigo (00:02:49):address social issues.Julian Vigo (00:02:52):After receiving honorary doctorates from UNAM and UAM,Julian Vigo (00:02:57):she was awarded them from the University of Puebla,Julian Vigo (00:03:01):Sonora, Estado de México,Julian Vigo (00:03:04):Guerrero,Julian Vigo (00:03:06):Chiapas, and Puerto Rico.Julian Vigo (00:03:09):She also received honorary degrees from the New School for Social Research in New York,Julian Vigo (00:03:13):Manhattanville College, and Florida Atlantic University in the United States, and fromJulian Vigo (00:03:19):Paris 8,Julian Vigo (00:03:19):La Sorbonne, and Pau-Pyrénées, as well as the Maria Moors Cabot Prize for Journalism atJulian Vigo (00:03:27):Columbia University, New York, in 2004, and from the Universidad Complutense, Madrid, inJulian Vigo (00:03:32):2015.Julian Vigo (00:03:34):She received the French Legion of Honour at the rank of Officer, the Gabriela Mistral Prize from Chile, and inJulian Vigo (00:03:41):2006, the Courage Award from the International Women's Media Foundation.Julian Vigo (00:03:43):In 2013 she was awardedJulian Vigo (00:03:49):the Miguel de Cervantes Prize for literature in the Spanish language, and she received theJulian Vigo (00:03:55):Belisario Domínguez Medal in 2022.Julian Vigo (00:03:58):This is the highest honour granted by the Senate of the Mexican Republic, along with theJulian Vigo (00:04:05):Carlos Fuentes International Prize for Literary Creation in the Spanish Language in 2023.(00:04:12):I welcome Elena Poniatowska to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:04:19):I wanted to begin with a memory I have of you.Julian Vigo (00:04:22):In 1993,Julian Vigo (00:04:25):I think,Julian Vigo (00:04:27):or 94 —Julian Vigo (00:04:28):one of those two years —Julian Vigo (00:04:29):I was in Puebla,Julian Vigo (00:04:31):Cholula,Julian Vigo (00:04:32):teaching at the Universidad de las Américas.Julian Vigo (00:04:35):Yes.Julian Vigo (00:04:36):And you came to give a talk at an observatory — I believe it was Tonantzintla.Elena Poniatowska (00:04:44):Yes, of course.Elena Poniatowska (00:04:46):Yes, I remember it, andJulian Vigo (00:04:49):you made a great impression on me that day. But I must confess that your entire life's work made a great impression on me — not only on me. I wanted to begin with your formation, your life, because you were born in France andJulian Vigo (00:05:12):how do you remember your childhood in France, and what elements of that world did you bring with you when you arrived in Mexico in 1942?Elena Poniatowska (00:05:21):Well, thank you very much for your interest.Elena Poniatowska (00:05:29):I can tell you that I was born in 1932 in Paris, France, because my mother Paula Amor marriedElena Poniatowska (00:05:42):Juan Poniatowski, who held a noble title — that of prince —Elena Poniatowska (00:05:54):because the last king of Poland was Stanisław Poniatowski, who was, I believe, one ofElena Poniatowska (00:06:07):the lovers —Elena Poniatowska (00:06:09):one of the younger lovers of the Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great.Elena Poniatowska (00:06:21):My mother was a woman born also in Paris, of Mexican origin, who leftElena Poniatowska (00:06:32):France because of the Mexican RevolutionElena Poniatowska (00:06:36):and went to live with her parents — Pablo Amor and Elena Iturbe de Amor — inElena Poniatowska (00:06:49):Biarritz, and they later moved to Paris. My mother always spoke Spanish with a French accent. She had two sisters who also lived in France for a long time,Elena Poniatowska (00:07:07):and they were rather Frenchified. She met my father Jean Poniatowski in Paris andElena Poniatowska (00:07:20):married him, and I was born in 1932 in Paris.Elena Poniatowska (00:07:25):I would like to knowJulian Vigo (00:07:31):more about this experience, because as you probably know — especially Americans and Canadians — they think everyone wants to come to their countries. But something they don't know until they travel is that in Mexico, Honduras, and all of Latin America there is a great deal of immigration, people from every country in the world. Why not?Elena Poniatowska (00:08:01):Her mother was in France; my mother was Mexican, born in France. Her family — she had a grandmother, my mother's great-grandmother, who was Russian, and in general her father was educated in England, so they wereElena Poniatowska (00:08:29):Mexicans — Amor is a Mexican surname — but they were very closely tied to Europe. For my mother, living in Europe was very natural becauseElena Poniatowska (00:08:49):she first attended a boarding school in Switzerland, in Lausanne,Elena Poniatowska (00:08:56):and then was in Paris. At a Rothschild ball she met my father JuanElena Poniatowska (00:09:07):Poniatowski and married him in 1931,Elena Poniatowska (00:09:17):or perhaps at the beginning of 1932, because I was born on the 19th of May 1932.Elena Poniatowska (00:09:29):My sister was born in 1933.Julian Vigo (00:09:34):As a child who spoke French and had to learn Spanish, in what way did language become your first tool for survival?Elena Poniatowska (00:09:47):Well, I also know English and French. Language, for me — learning Spanish in Mexico — was obviously about communicating with people in the streetElena Poniatowska (00:09:56):and with friends at school. But French remained my mother tongue, andElena Poniatowska (00:10:03):later I dedicated myself to speaking Spanish with the people at home, with the MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:10:14):I met at school.Elena Poniatowska (00:10:23):Curiously, I attended an English school called the Windsor School, but I learned SpanishJulian Vigo (00:10:38):in the street — one always learns Spanish better in the street. You learn so much from people in Mexico. I found people very warm and open. On the other hand, for Mexicans in my country, it's not the same at all.Julian Vigo (00:10:59):What was the first moment you felt that writing was the only possible way to understand the Mexico around you?Elena Poniatowska (00:11:11):Well, I would never say it was the only possible way.Elena Poniatowska (00:11:17):I think that at twenty,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:22):twenty-one years old, returning from studying at a convent of nuns, I had theElena Poniatowska (00:11:30):good fortune to be able to start writing at a newspaper called, at that time,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:42):Excelsior.Elena Poniatowska (00:11:43):They asked me to submit a daily article,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:48):an interview,Elena Poniatowska (00:11:51):a chronicle, and I did so with enormous enthusiasm and great pleasure, because it allowed meElena Poniatowska (00:12:00):to know Mexico much better, and also to meet great figures of Mexico such asElena Poniatowska (00:12:09):Diego Rivera,Elena Poniatowska (00:12:11):José Clemente Orozco, actresses like Dolores del Río and María Félix, architects likeElena Poniatowska (00:12:20):Luis Barragán, and writers — even writers of my own generation, or slightlyElena Poniatowska (00:12:31):older than me — such as Juan Rulfo,Elena Poniatowska (00:12:38):Rosario Castellanos, Carlos Fuentes, and of course Octavio Paz.Julian Vigo (00:12:46):What a rich life! María Félix — what a figure!Julian Vigo (00:12:52):How was your experience beginning in journalism in the early 1950s in a predominantly male environment?Elena Poniatowska (00:13:05):Well, I was truly very lucky, because people were very kind andElena Poniatowska (00:13:14):even affectionate towards me. No one ever refused me an interview. I was able to reach Alfonso Reyes, Octavio Paz,Elena Poniatowska (00:13:25):the great architect Luis Barragán, José Vasconcelos the philosopher, and all were veryElena Poniatowska (00:13:40):kind and cordial with me, as were important actors like Ignacio LópezElena Poniatowska (00:13:51):Tarso,Elena Poniatowska (00:13:52):and of course those I already mentioned — Dolores del Río, María Félix — and singers, and also many visitors who came from Europe, the United States, or Latin America to perform in Mexico.Elena Poniatowska (00:14:20):Did you know El Indio Fernández?Elena Poniatowska (00:14:23):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (00:14:24):of course —Elena Poniatowska (00:14:25):I interviewed him,Elena Poniatowska (00:14:26):I knew El Indio Fernández, who by ten in the morning was already offering me a tequila, whichElena Poniatowska (00:14:35):I did not drink, as I'm not accustomed to drinking. And also many otherElena Poniatowska (00:14:47):famous actors of that era, like the comedian Cantinflas, whoseJulian Vigo (00:14:56):real name was Mario Moreno. Cantinflas — I know his work. Wow. And you were in Mexico during the same period as Luis Buñuel?Elena Poniatowska (00:15:06):Yes, I ended up with Luis Buñuel — yes, we had a great friendshipElena Poniatowska (00:15:15):because out of affection he came to have lunch at my house several times, so I saw him on manyElena Poniatowska (00:15:24):occasions. We even went together to the prison of Lecumberri to visit, for example, aElena Poniatowska (00:15:33):Colombian who had committed an offence and was imprisoned — his name wasElena Poniatowska (00:15:42):Álvaro Mutis.Julian Vigo (00:15:45):And you have lived through and narrated great social transformations.Julian Vigo (00:15:51):Do you think that today's digital democratisation of public opinion helps social justice, or does it rather dilute real struggles into mere narratives of identity and likes?Elena Poniatowska (00:16:08):Well, I think the Mexican Revolution,Elena Poniatowska (00:16:15):led by a man like Emiliano Zapata, was extraordinary in redistributing the lands and haciendas of Mexico and in giving all MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:16:32):access to better education, better formation, a better life. I consider thatElena Poniatowska (00:16:46):Emiliano Zapata was one of the great heroes of Mexico, even though he personally took away the haciendas of my grandparents, the Amors and the Iturbes.Julian Vigo (00:17:06):What did you learn from the great intellectuals of your youth?Julian Vigo (00:17:08):You mentioned Juan Rulfo, Alfonso Reyes, and many others.Julian Vigo (00:17:15):What influenced your decision to dedicate your life to letters?Elena Poniatowska (00:17:20):No, they did not influence my decision to dedicate myself to letters.Elena Poniatowska (00:17:26):I met them later.Elena Poniatowska (00:17:30):I began as a journalist, a modest journalist, at the newspaper Excelsior in 1953 —Elena Poniatowska (00:17:42):I think 1952 or 1953. Very young. I had come from an education at a convent of nuns inElena Poniatowska (00:17:53):Philadelphia, and I decidedElena Poniatowska (00:17:57):to write chronicles and interviews to get to know Mexico better. I came to know those figures through my work as a journalist, and because I could question themElena Poniatowska (00:18:14):in the language I knew and had learned as a child — at ten years old — which is Spanish. My other languages until then had beenElena Poniatowska (00:18:22):English,Elena Poniatowska (00:18:27):and French, which is my mother tongue.Julian Vigo (00:18:32):You are known for the testimonio.Julian Vigo (00:18:36):At what exact point did you feel that traditional fiction was not sufficient to capture Mexican reality?Elena Poniatowska (00:18:47):As I mentioned, I began by engaging with many valuable MexicansElena Poniatowska (00:18:54):who received me in their homes, gave me their opinions. At the same time as I received what they wished to give me,Elena Poniatowska (00:19:04):I observed how their homes were, how they treated the people around them — their wives, their children, their servants — and all of that helped meElena Poniatowska (00:19:22):to know Mexico better. I also spent a great deal of time in the streets — that is, with the poorest people, whom I was able to reachElena Poniatowska (00:19:34):through my own nature and also with the help of a great Mexican illustrator, Alberto Beltrán. In the street he made sketches of everything the Mexicans did — the newspaper vendors,Elena Poniatowska (00:19:59):the taco sellers,Elena Poniatowska (00:20:03):the women making corn tortillas by hand,Elena Poniatowska (00:20:12):the bakeries, and then the hardware stores where everything was sold — from nails toElena Poniatowska (00:20:22):cleaning cloths — and all of that was a very vital andElena Poniatowska (00:20:32):generous apprenticeship in learning to see the lives of working Mexicans.Julian Vigo (00:20:40):But it is an art — to be able to listen to people, to their voices.Julian Vigo (00:20:53):How did you learn to listen to the voice of the other?Elena Poniatowska (00:20:58):Well, I think it is a natural inclination.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:03):It is not learned.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:05):It is not forced.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:06):It is a way of being.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:10):I am far more interestedElena Poniatowska (00:21:11):in speaking of what others do, how they do it, and who they are, than in speaking of myself, my sensations, my emotions. And I have done this from a very young age, so it has become a habit — it is part of my daily life.Julian Vigo (00:21:36):Do you believe that the testimonio is essentially an act of political resistance?Elena Poniatowska (00:21:44):I think so.Elena Poniatowska (00:21:45):It helps enormously to know the thinking of those who have no power, who are not in power, who do not consider themselves political, who are not leaders — although I did have the great privilege of interviewing leaders and very important figures in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (00:22:14):such as, for example, the Spanish refugee of the Civil War, Luis Buñuel.Julian Vigo (00:22:26):And how was the process of gathering the voice of Jesusa Palancares?Julian Vigo (00:22:32):How long did it take you to absorb her story?Elena Poniatowska (00:22:38):Well, it was a privilege. I heard her — she was doing laundry in a popular building, a building where many Mexicans lived who had noElena Poniatowska (00:22:56):economic resources. Everything she said caught my attention enormously. I approached her and asked if I could visit her at her home,Elena Poniatowska (00:23:13):which was a very poor house, obviously far from the area where I lived. And so I went toElena Poniatowska (00:23:26):see her once a week. We became friends, and she began telling me her life. And that is howElena Poniatowska (00:23:36):the novel Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío came about. When it was published,Elena Poniatowska (00:23:43):she asked me to give her ten copies to give to her friends —Elena Poniatowska (00:23:52):the bricklayers or the people she had worked with.Julian Vigo (00:24:00):And why did she choose the testimonial genre for Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío?Julian Vigo (00:24:09):It is one of the testimonial novels because —Elena Poniatowska (00:24:16):She didn't really choose it — she didn't. It was I who gathered her words andElena Poniatowska (00:24:27):assembled them in the best way I could. But she did not choose it.Elena Poniatowska (00:24:34):She could not read or write. She did not know how to read or write. But she asked for the books, and I — the cover of the book, what goes on the outside, is the Santo Niño de Atocha, a small Christ child that she liked.Julian Vigo (00:25:08):And I saw it in the street, and so I put it there so she would be happy. But I was asking you about the testimonial genre — in 1969 it was not a common thing in literature.Julian Vigo (00:25:26):How was this novel received?Julian Vigo (00:25:30):I wonder if people were confused.Julian Vigo (00:25:32):Is it a true story or is it fiction?Elena Poniatowska (00:25:35):No, it was very well received. The book was greatly liked.Elena Poniatowska (00:25:41):Immediately many editions came out and it was translated into English and French.Julian Vigo (00:25:51):And I wonder if at that time — less so today — people were confused because they did not know if it was a completely real story or partly real. Because the novel Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío was categorised as a novel.Elena Poniatowska (00:26:16):Yes, that's right, that is what it was.Elena Poniatowska (00:26:19):It is a novel based on a character — a woman who was in the Mexican Revolution, the life of a soldadera. To what extent is Jesusa an invented character or a real woman? I have said it, I have written it many times: Jesusa is a real character. After that I wroteElena Poniatowska (00:26:49):other books about other women who were also real characters. I had the joy of knowing Jesusa in person, but for example Tina Modotti, the main character ofElena Poniatowska (00:27:08):the novel Tinísima, I did not know. And other novels about other women and other characters I also did not know.Julian Vigo (00:27:22):What lessons about the resilience of Mexican women did you learn from Jesusa that remain relevant today?Elena Poniatowska (00:27:31):All the women in Mexico whom I see and engage with and encounter in the streetElena Poniatowska (00:27:41):and who come to my house — they are women who have known how to struggle and continue to struggle. For example, one woman, Rosario Ibarra de Piedra, whose son was disappeared, and who searched all of Mexico — she is obviously one of the heroines who has most caught my attention.Julian Vigo (00:28:10):And especially in recent years — almost thirty years — the femicides and the disappearances of men and women. You are still fighting for your society, and I think literary words have the power to carry reality forward. I am thinking of La Noche de Tlatelolco — that was the first book of yours I read. It is incredible. I have no words. Thank you. It is one of the best books of the twentieth century, and I teach it. It is astonishing. Can you speak about why you began that work, and also for those listening now who do not know the history of what happened in Mexico?Elena Poniatowska (00:29:03):Well, in general I can tell you that I received letters from a prisoner in the jail — Jesús Sánchez García — and I began going to Lecumberri, which was called the Black Palace of Lecumberri. It was no palace — it was a prison with bars and cells. I asked permission from the prison director — I believe his name was Martín del Campo — and he gave it to me. That is how I went to gather life stories from men, and later, at the women's prison, from women who had nothing to do with my own life, who bore no resemblance to what I hadElena Poniatowska (00:30:03):lived or what I would go on to live.Elena Poniatowska (00:30:16):That was an enormous enrichment for me, and a knowledge of an unknown Mexico that also helped me understand MexicoElena Poniatowska (00:30:31):— a Mexico to which I owe a great deal.Elena Poniatowska (00:30:35):I think that everything I am I owe to the voice, and to the gift of their voice, that the poorest Mexicans gave me — those I was able to approach over years and years,Elena Poniatowska (00:30:52):going to the prison and sometimes going to their own very poor homes, called vecindades, which were located in the very neighbourhoods where the prisons were.Julian Vigo (00:31:11):How did you manage the pain and trauma of the testimonies you heard while assembling the book?Elena Poniatowska (00:31:22):Pain is not managed. To manage something is to seek something. Pain is simply assumed and lived. So the pain is in the words written in the book.Julian Vigo (00:31:46):And why did you choose the technique of a collage of voices rather than a linear, chronological narrative for this book?Elena Poniatowska (00:31:57):I have many other books that speak even of personal stories — books that contain much of biography.Julian Vigo (00:32:13):Yes, but it is very interesting how you wove those narratives together in this book. It is very beautiful, in fact.Julian Vigo (00:32:24):Was there any moment during the writing of La Noche de Tlatelolco when you felt fear or censorship?Elena Poniatowska (00:32:33):Well, there was always the dread of entering terrain unknown to me.Elena Poniatowska (00:32:40):Ultimately, I was educated —Elena Poniatowska (00:32:45):I spent time in the United States at a convent to be educated, not to become a nun — it was called the Sacred Heart Convent.Elena Poniatowska (00:33:03):When I came out I was speaking English. My mother tongue is French. And when I left there, my strongest desire was truly to know Mexico — the country I had arrived in at the age of ten, but in which I had received an educationElena Poniatowska (00:33:30):in both English and French, not in Spanish.Julian Vigo (00:33:36):More than fifty years later, what impact do you think that book has on the collective memory of young Mexicans today?Elena Poniatowska (00:33:48):Well, I think that is a question that should be put to them.Elena Poniatowska (00:33:55):What I can say is that I have receivedElena Poniatowska (00:33:59):a great deal of affection from young people — many come to find me at my home, and I give lectures and talks with some frequency. Remember that I am already 94 years old and have lost the use of my left eye, which prevents me from seeing well. So within my limitations,Elena Poniatowska (00:34:27):I remain in contact with the people who want to see me, which for me produces great enthusiasm and which I experience as great support.Julian Vigo (00:34:42):The book you wrote is something very specific — evidently about Mexico — but it is still a book with which everyone can identify. If we look around today, where there are acts of political repression in almost every country in the world in one form or another — and I know your books are translated into many languages — I wonder whether the power of La Noche de Tlatelolco came from the form of the narration itself, not only from the fact that you confronted the government, the police, and justice. You narrated a story of the people seeking justice, yes, but literature itself was also seeking truth within its pages. There are wars everywhere, there is too much sadness. After the lockdown — which was less bad in Mexico than here in Italy — we are living through a very difficult moment. Do you sometimes think of this book as a model for dialogue, for collaboration, for moving forward together, the people united?Elena Poniatowska (00:36:09):Well, what I love about this book is that it has so many voices — many voices gathered from mothers of families, from children of political prisoners. For me it was a great learning experience to go to the prison in Mexico and see a world I did not know, to be accepted in that world, to go frequently to hear and gather the voices of political prisoners and of young people whoElena Poniatowska (00:36:52):didn't even have strong political ideas but were imprisoned because they had stolen something in a market. It meant entering a world I was completely unfamiliar with,Elena Poniatowska (00:37:13):to which I did not belong. And it was an enormous lesson — a very generous lesson — in how the lives of others can be. That is what I have dedicated myself to over many years, because I remain a journalist and continue writing about disasters such asElena Poniatowska (00:37:39):not only the massacre of the 2nd of October, but what the earthquake of 1985 meant for Mexico and the loss, for many Mexicans, of their families and their homes.Julian Vigo (00:37:59):Yes. You documented the earthquake of ‘85 — a moment when the Mexican government was completely paralysed and it was civil society that took control to rescue the city.Julian Vigo (00:38:15):Do you believe that peoples are still alone in the face of tragedy, or is that organic solidarity you described an invincible force?Elena Poniatowska (00:38:29):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (00:38:29):of course.Elena Poniatowska (00:38:30):I believe — that is why I believe in the invincible force of Mexicans, who help and support each other, who run to answer a cry for help. They are the ones who save themselves by saving others. I believe in that truth. It is a truth I lived, that I witnessed,Elena Poniatowska (00:38:57):and for me it is a lesson, a way of life.Julian Vigo (00:39:03):Does it reflect the structural abandonment of the seamstresses, the inhabitants, those who live in vecindades, and the poorest?Julian Vigo (00:39:13):How did you manage, in the midst of the chaos, the dust, and the mourning of those days, to earn the trust of people so that they would share their most painful and raw testimonies?Elena Poniatowska (00:39:30):Well, I have two physical advantages.Elena Poniatowska (00:39:32):I am small in stature. I frighten no one. No one is afraid of me. I can go anywhere. I am not someone who imposes anything at all, and I know how to listen. So by listening to others' voices, I gather them, I keep them, I memorise them,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:03):and then I put them on paper.Elena Poniatowska (00:40:06):That is the most solitary and difficult moment — writing about what happens to others,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:21):their sorrows,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:22):their joys,Elena Poniatowska (00:40:24):their defeats and also their triumphs —Elena Poniatowska (00:40:28):and making books and articles from them. Because I am also a journalist sinceElena Poniatowska (00:40:38):1953. I am now 94 years old.Julian Vigo (00:40:47):You're listening to Savage Minds.Julian Vigo (00:40:49):If you're enjoying the show, take a second to subscribe at savageminds.co.Julian Vigo (00:40:54):Feel free to comment below or drop us a line to share your thoughts.Julian Vigo (00:40:59):Support independent media today.Julian Vigo (00:41:01):Now, let's get back to it.Julian Vigo (00:41:15):Many consider that the earthquake of ‘85 not only brought down buildings but also toppled the myth of the Mexican State's absolute control — marking the true birth of modern citizenship in the country.Julian Vigo (00:41:33):From your perspective as a chronicler —Elena Poniatowska (00:41:40):I think Mexicans have always had enormous character and enormous capacity to defend themselvesElena Poniatowska (00:41:49):in spite of their own poverty, or in spite of the total absence of outside help.Elena Poniatowska (00:42:02):There was in Mexico a Mexican Revolution,Elena Poniatowska (00:42:08):a country conquered by very cruel conquerors, and yet the country has continued to forge ahead and has continued to demonstrate its bravery and courage in allElena Poniatowska (00:42:28):circumstances — one of which was, for example, the earthquake, in which the neighbours themselvesElena Poniatowska (00:42:37):helped each other before the State or the so-called government did anything.Elena Poniatowska (00:42:46):So I think it is a country with many very brave men, women, and children who save themselves, who know how to look after themselves.Elena Poniatowska (00:43:03):Of course there are people who don't know how to do it, and there are people who sometimes end upElena Poniatowska (00:43:12):in prison or in hospital. But in general Mexico is a country of very solidary people, people who help each other and defend themselves.Julian Vigo (00:43:31):What I love about your books in general is that you give voice — you shed light on the lives that are forgotten.Julian Vigo (00:43:42):Do you feel that in this book, for example, or in Nadie Me Verá Llorar, the author's voice becomes more present or closer to her characters than in your earlier works?Elena Poniatowska (00:43:56):No,Elena Poniatowska (00:43:57):I think that element is present in all my works — in Hasta No Verte Jesús Mío, in the book about the 2nd of October, in the earthquake — and it is always present in everything I still do at the newspaper where I work. I am in a certain way a chronicler and aElena Poniatowska (00:44:21):participant in the lives of other Mexicans.Julian Vigo (00:44:27):And I also notice that many of your works are about women — Tinísima, the life of Tina Modotti, a woman who lived so many lives in one. Leonora. And I wanted to ask — before we get to those books — about Querido Diego Te Abraza Quiela. Why did you choose that subject? Not only Diego Rivera but his first wife.Elena Poniatowska (00:44:59):I was moved to learn that in Paris, Angelina Beloff had gone to Mexico to seeElena Poniatowska (00:45:12):Diego Rivera, whom she had supported in Paris. He had lived with her and had livedElena Poniatowska (00:45:22):off her, because she was the one with a salary. He was a very young painter withoutElena Poniatowska (00:45:33):money, without resources. She helped him. And when she went to Mexico, she had also hadElena Poniatowska (00:45:42):the only male child that Diego Rivera ever had, who died of cold in Paris. And when she decided to go to Mexico — in a sense, to get to know the country of her lover — she decided to go to the Palacio de Bellas Artes because she knew that heElena Poniatowska (00:46:11):would be there. And he walked right past her — past the seat, one of those red velvet seats in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, called butacas, in which she was sitting — he walked past and did not even recognise her.Elena Poniatowska (00:46:40):That story struck me deeply, and that is why I decided to write the small book —Elena Poniatowska (00:46:55):it is not a very long book —Elena Poniatowska (00:46:58):called Querido Diego, Te Abraza Quiela.Julian Vigo (00:47:00):In Tinísima, what was it that drew you to the life of Tina Modotti?Elena Poniatowska (00:47:08):In reality it came from a request to make a film. The cinematographerElena Poniatowska (00:47:17):Gabriel Figueroa told me that a film was going to be made about Tina Modotti, the Italian woman who had been in Mexico. So I began interviewing all the people who had knownElena Poniatowska (00:47:38):Tina Modotti. And even when I was invited to France for a conference, I had theElena Poniatowska (00:47:47):opportunity to go to Udine in Italy to meet and get to know the siblings of Tina Modotti —Elena Poniatowska (00:48:00):to see them, interview them, speak with them.Elena Poniatowska (00:48:05):Then when I was told that the film about Tina Modotti in Mexico was no longer going to be made because there was no money, I — who had gone at my own expense to that conference in France and another writers' conference inElena Poniatowska (00:48:37):Italy — decided to launch into writing the novel called Tinísima, because I hadElena Poniatowska (00:48:48):interviewed many old communists whom I had gone to visitElena Poniatowska (00:48:56):in their various homes — generally very modest, very poor homes.Elena Poniatowska (00:49:03):I did not want to let them down, and so the novel Tinísima was published.Julian Vigo (00:49:10):And to what extent does Tina Modotti represent the struggle of the woman artist in the twentieth century?Elena Poniatowska (00:49:19):To the extent that she commits herself —Elena Poniatowska (00:49:23):she takes photographs of Mexico alongside Edward Weston, and then goes alongsideElena Poniatowska (00:49:33):Commander Carlos of the Fifth Regiment to Spain — she goes to the Spanish Civil War and becomes a nurse, caring evenElena Poniatowska (00:49:52):on the ground for the bodies that had fallen on the earth before taking them to the Red Cross — giving them first aid and dedicating herself to saving lives,Elena Poniatowska (00:50:08):or helping to save lives. I believe that many soldiers did not die thanks to the care of this womanElena Poniatowska (00:50:19):who was in the trench following the doctors.Julian Vigo (00:50:25):You have said that the writer must be a bridge.Julian Vigo (00:50:29):Between what worlds do you think it is most necessary to build bridges — or should we be breaking bridges today?Elena Poniatowska (00:50:38):No, I think one should never break a bridge, for anything.Elena Poniatowska (00:50:42):I think one mustElena Poniatowska (00:50:45):communicate — that the most important thing in the life of any human being is dialogue. Peoples too must dialogue with others in order to know each other. I think Mexico must have a dialogue with the United States, and that many Mexicans who have returned fromElena Poniatowska (00:51:09):the United States because TrumpElena Poniatowska (00:51:12):did not want to receive them, has rejected them — well, they nevertheless had, with another nation or with the inhabitants of another nation, knowledge and dialogue.Elena Poniatowska (00:51:28):And that I believe is what is called,Elena Poniatowska (00:51:34):within Catholicism if you like, or within any religion by whatever name it may be called — that is human fraternity. The otherElena Poniatowska (00:51:50):is the one who exists and who awaits you and whom you must help, because perhapsElena Poniatowska (00:51:58):one day you will need him to extend a hand to you.Julian Vigo (00:52:05):Trump is certainly a character, but I see the situation as too tragic for Americans — the United States, still my country — because the reality is that a large part of the Western world has absolutely no idea of the immense cultural, intellectual, and spiritual richness of Mexico.Julian Vigo (00:52:30):For me, it's not only Trump —Julian Vigo (00:52:32):but Americans, Canadians, etc.Julian Vigo (00:52:35):know nothing about the sharpest chroniclers of this country. If you had to open the eyes of an international audience completely unaware of Mexico's depth, what would you say is the most valuable treasure of Mexican identity that the rest of the world is missing?Elena Poniatowska (00:53:01):Well, I must say that many North Americans have come and written about Mexico — anthropologists and sociologists. We have Oscar LewisElena Poniatowska (00:53:17):and many others who have written about the poorest Mexicans, starting in Tepoztlán, a city near Mexico City, following them to the vecindades in the city where they took refuge and found very modest work. So yes, there have been North AmericansElena Poniatowska (00:53:44):who have written about the richness and beauty of Mexico, and their books areElena Poniatowska (00:53:53):translated into Spanish and are admired and appreciated by Mexicans who are grateful that attention is paid to them. So one cannot say that no one who has come from outside has cared about Mexico — in archaeology, in anthropology, as well as figures like Frances Toor, who was a North American woman who created a magazineElena Poniatowska (00:54:39):called Mexico Today and wrote extensively about Mexican customs and lived in Taxco.Elena Poniatowska (00:54:41):For example, a certain William Spratling enriched himself personally but helped many Mexicans inElena Poniatowska (00:54:51):Taxco to learn how to work silver and sell silver. And still today many foreigners and tourists go to buy silver objectsElena Poniatowska (00:55:10):that come from a mine discovered by foreigners — and clearly alsoElena Poniatowska (00:55:20):plundered, one might say, by foreigners.Julian Vigo (00:55:30):Because not everything is entirely good or entirely bad. But I was referring to the fact that — as you know, having been in the United States and many other countries — Trump and far too many people insufficiently educated about Mexico think that all Mexicans want to invade the United States. But the reality is otherwise. In Mexico there was a great cinematic tradition, for example. Mexican cinema has greatly influenced Hollywood — not only today but throughout history. The Oscar statuette itself was modelled on the body of El Indio Fernández. People do not know the depth of Mexican philosophy. I am thinking of Sor Juana, who contributed so much to poetry, theatre, even science — if we think of her letter to Sor Filotea, who was actually Manuel Fernández de Puebla. That dialogue was very important. Western feminists know nothing of these exchanges between those two figures. But for me Mexico has an enormous and very important force in the history of philosophy, science, and feminism. And I am thinking of Octavio Paz's book on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, called Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, or The Traps of Faith. You knew Paz closely. Did you have conversations with him about his perspective on this book — especially regarding the power dynamics of the Church and the silencing she suffered as an intellectual woman?Elena Poniatowska (00:58:09):No, but I think you are mixing very many topics into one question, and it isElena Poniatowska (00:58:18):difficult to answer you because you are speaking of very diverse things that evenElena Poniatowska (00:58:27):happened in different centuries.Elena Poniatowska (00:58:30):Sor Juana — there have always been in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (00:58:34):before Octavio Paz, people who dedicated themselves to reading,Elena Poniatowska (00:58:40):studying, and getting to know Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.Elena Poniatowska (00:58:45):I will not add more names to those you mentioned, but there are many studies and many Sor Juana scholars in Mexico, as well as at the University of SantaElena Poniatowska (00:59:01):Barbara, California, in Paris, in France —Elena Poniatowska (00:59:04):there are many studies on the great figures of Mexico — not only The Traps of Faith by the Mexican poet Octavio Paz. So these are studies that will continue and do continue. In California, for example, Sara Poot HerreraElena Poniatowska (00:59:32):is dedicated to studying Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, along with many other scholars — I don't know if she is still living — whose name was Rivers. All of these are studies that have been carried out in Mexico and outside Mexico.Julian Vigo (00:59:55):No, I was asking specifically about Paz's book because you knew him and —Elena Poniatowska (01:00:03):I knew him,Elena Poniatowska (01:00:04):I admired him, and I also wrote about him. I have a book about him. I admired him,Elena Poniatowska (01:00:12):I knew him, his poetry dazzled me. And he is a man whom I have admired since getting to know him, and whom I also hold with affection.Julian Vigo (01:00:29):I asked about your relationship with him because sometimes it happens to me too — with other writers — one asks or someone asks me, “Why did you do that?” It is a dialogue. Because that book, The Traps of Faith, had something very important — not only for Mexico but it placed the image of Sor Juana before the world. Many people began to ask who this nun was because it is very important. I was asking about the presentation Paz gave of her — whether you had any dialogues with Paz from your own perspective.Elena Poniatowska (01:01:20):Well, yes, of course. But there were others who also spoke at great length about Sor Juana de la Cruz — other Mexicans before Octavio Paz, other Mexicans who, for example, also concerned themselves with indigenous peoples, such as a priest — Ángel María Garibay — who was also a Sor Juana scholar. So there are many studies on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and there are Sor Juana scholars in Santa Bárbara, for example, such as Doctor Sara Poot Herrera and others — a woman by the name of Rivers and many more.Julian Vigo (01:02:16):You have dedicated your life to listening and giving voice to those who have none, through the chronicle and literature.Julian Vigo (01:02:26):Today,Julian Vigo (01:02:27):with social media,Julian Vigo (01:02:28):it seems that everyone has a platform for opinions.Julian Vigo (01:02:32):But are we really listening?Julian Vigo (01:02:36):What happens to the power of the word when it becomes a constant noise, as in social media?Elena Poniatowska (01:02:45):I don't know.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:46):I suppose it loses efficacy.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:49):But that depends on the activity of each human being.Elena Poniatowska (01:02:58):There are people — elderly people, for example, people already old — for whom life,Elena Poniatowska (01:03:08):even in institutions, in care homes, means turning the television on from morning until night and being entertained — that is, entertained without making the least effort of criticism or thought in front ofElena Poniatowska (01:03:29):the television.Elena Poniatowska (01:03:31):I have seen that this has been very important in keeping the elderly calm andElena Poniatowska (01:03:41):allowing them to die little by little in institutions called health facilities, where they have thisElena Poniatowska (01:03:52):constant and rather sad entertainment. ButElena Poniatowska (01:03:59):as they say in Mexico: no hay de otra — there is no other option, or no other option has been found, or there are not enough people willing to dedicate themselves to attending to and caring for others. So I see it as an end of lifeElena Poniatowska (01:04:28):for an individual who was once a thinking individual, who knew how to act,Elena Poniatowska (01:04:37):who knew how to elevate himself,Elena Poniatowska (01:04:41):to become a better human being. And I find it sad.Julian Vigo (01:04:46):Today, and for twenty years now, I have noticed as a university professor that students are reading less and less. Today, with so-called artificial intelligence — so-called because intelligence it is not — students are not reading. How can literature or journalism restore the true value and depth of words when we are in a world full of social media, opinions, and videos of a cat doing something funny?Elena Poniatowska (01:05:31):Your question is very difficult because I don't have the answer.Elena Poniatowska (01:05:37):What I can say is that ultimately it depends on the teachers.Elena Poniatowska (01:05:44):It depends on students having a good teacher,Elena Poniatowska (01:05:49):because even I have seen in classes —Elena Poniatowska (01:05:54):in different classes —Elena Poniatowska (01:05:57):that many young people continue looking at their phones while the teacher is writing onElena Poniatowska (01:06:07):the board, or speaking, or giving a class.Elena Poniatowska (01:06:13):So we shall see whether the destiny of young people will depend on what theyElena Poniatowska (01:06:21):learn from their phone. I don't have a phone —Elena Poniatowska (01:06:27):I never bought one,Elena Poniatowska (01:06:28):never got one. Or whether they will be able to go beyond themselvesElena Poniatowska (01:06:37):and beyond above all what the phone wants to give you or teach you or not teach youElena Poniatowska (01:06:46):or distract you from — because ultimately it is a distraction. Yes.Julian Vigo (01:06:53):Writing something to share — in quotation marks — they are sharing nothing in the end. I have noticed that many people are sharing articles they have not read. Young people are embracing identity politics and cancel cultureJulian Vigo (01:07:16):in the absence of any engagement with material reality today.Julian Vigo (01:07:21):That is my fear —Julian Vigo (01:07:23):that the millennials,Julian Vigo (01:07:26):this generation of thirty-year-olds,Julian Vigo (01:07:31):are fixated on pronounsJulian Vigo (01:07:36):but do nothing to help their neighbour.Julian Vigo (01:07:41):They do nothing to fight for living wages.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:46):Well, not all of them.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:49):It's a generalisation, of course.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:54):But I think you are right.Elena Poniatowska (01:07:58):It is a generalisation, because in any case there are human beings who live for others.Julian Vigo (01:08:08):We are in two camps today, because during the lockdown I noticed that many people — even on the right — were fighting for the poor in the United States, where I published. I could not publish a single article questioning the lockdown. That is when I started Savage Minds, because I was asking: what is happening? I no longer recognise this world in which the left is pushing people not to speak. We weren't talking about the lockdown, and the right was speaking very openly. And I see that politically, left and right — there is no longer that dichotomy, so to speak.Elena Poniatowska (01:09:02):Yes,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:03):I thank you greatly for your interest and I thank you enormously for this conversation. I feel animated,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:11):I feel glad to hear what you are saying.Elena Poniatowska (01:09:19):But I do feel that,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:22):as you say,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:23):the speed,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:26):the pace of all events,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:29):the television —Elena Poniatowska (01:09:32):it sets critical thinking and reflection on events to one side,Elena Poniatowska (01:09:41):because everything must be immediate, mustn't it?Elena Poniatowska (01:09:46):That is to say, everything ends in a second. Even the deepest interests sometimes last onlyElena Poniatowska (01:09:56):a few — one might even think, as we say in Mexico,Elena Poniatowska (01:10:01):un ratito — just a little while. There is no continuity in ideas orElena Poniatowska (01:10:12):even in purposes. There is something we all know called habit, and each personElena Poniatowska (01:10:21):lives according to the habits they have established in order to keep going —Elena Poniatowska (01:10:28):to keep existing, if you will. To make it to night, fall asleep, and know that you will wake the following day. Or perhaps you won't wake, because — well, for example, IElena Poniatowska (01:10:45):am a person of 94 years old and I have no certainty that I will see the following morning. ButElena Poniatowska (01:10:55):what I do believe is thatElena Poniatowska (01:10:58):I believe in the innate goodness of every human being.Elena Poniatowska (01:11:03):I have to believe in it, because I need that hope.(01:12:02): Get full access to Savage Minds at www.savageminds.co/subscribe

America thinks it knows the story of the border. According to New York Times political reporter and author Jazmine Ulloa, it doesn't.Jazmine joins Chuck Rocha and Mike Madrid to discuss her groundbreaking new book El Paso — part memoir, part history, part love story — and why the city at the heart of America's immigration debate has been misread, misrepresented, and misused for decades.Jazmine was sitting in a movie theater when her phone wouldn't stop buzzing. The 2019 El Paso mass shooting, a racially motivated attack three minutes from where she went to high school, became the catalyst for a book years in the making. Through the stories of five families who crossed through El Paso dating back to the Mexican Revolution, Jazmine dismantles the myth of the "Hispanic invasion" and reveals a city that existed long before the United States did.From the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to family separations under the bridge, from Los Niños Héroes to the rise of the grand replacement theory, El Paso makes the case that this isn't a border crisis. It's a mirror.Chuck and Mike also dig into the California Governor's race, breaking down the Eric Swalwell implosion, Xavier Becerra's surge among working-class Latino voters, and why with early ballots dropping in two weeks, the real election has already begun.In This Episode:How the 2019 El Paso shooting launched Jazmine's journey to write the bookWhy El Paso, not Ellis Island, is the true lens for understanding American immigrationNativism, xenophobia and the grand replacement theory: what history actually showsWhy working-class Latinos feel abandoned by both political partiesThe California Governor's race: Becerra, Swalwell, Villaraigosa and early voting is right around the cornerLatino Vote Summit: June 23rd, Washington D.C.-We highly recommend Jazmine's book: El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory.Buy it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/El-Paso-Families-Hundred-Migration/dp/0593471865-Recorded April 22, 2026-Referenced in the episode:The New York Times - A Startlingly Vivid Portrait of El Paso, and of America: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/books/review/el-paso-jazmine-ulloa.htmlDon't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more episodes of The Latino Vote Podcast!Watch our episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thelatinovotepodcastFind us on Substack: https://substack.com/@thelatinovotepodcastFollow us on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/TheLatino_VoteVisit our website for the latest Latino Vote news and subscribe to our newsletter: latinos.voteIf you want more of our discussions and behind the scenes please join our Patreon (www.patreon.com/thelatinovote) for exclusive content and opportunities!

Happy not-mexican-july-fourth. This week we return to the story of the Magonistas, the mexican anarchists that started the Mexican Revolution. This episode we meet poet gun fighters, class traitor aristocrats, anarchist book store guys, and more. OUTRO MUSIC from Dead Men Ride (1971) MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica

May talks about the novel El Murmullo de las Abejas by Sofía Segovia, a beautiful and emotional story set in Linares, Nuevo León, during the early 1900s. We explore the life of Simonopio, a mysterious child with a deep connection to nature, and how his presence shapes the Morales family through times of revolution, land reform, and the Spanish flu pandemic. Along the way, we share why this novel is so memorable, how it blends history with subtle magical elements, and why it's a great recommendation if you want to improve your Spanish while learning more about Mexican culture and storytelling.Key Takeaways:Learn about a beloved Mexican novel that combines history, family drama, and magical elements.Discover how real historical events like the Mexican Revolution and the Spanish flu influence the story.Get inspired to practice Spanish through books that are engaging, emotional, and culturally rich.

Buy tickets for the live Conversations with Tyler recording with Craig Newmark at 92NY! Tyler calls Paul Gillingham's new book, Mexico: A 500-Year History, the single best introduction to the country's past—and one of the best nonfiction books of 2026. Paul brings both an outsider's eye and ground-level knowledge to Mexican history, having grown up in Cork — a place he'd argue gave him an instinctive feel for fierce local autonomy and land hunger —earning his doctorate on the Mexican Revolution under Alan Knight at Oxford, and doing his fieldwork in the pueblos of Guerrero. He and Tyler range across five centuries of Mexican history, from why Mexico held together after independence when every other post-colonial superstate collapsed, to why Yucatán is now one of the safest places on earth, what two leaders from Oaxaca tell us about Mexican politics, how Mexico avoided the military coups that plagued the rest of Latin America, what Cárdenas's land reform actually achieved versus what it promised, whether the ejido system held Mexico back, why Mexico worried too much about land and not enough about human capital, how Mexico's fertility rate fell below America's, why Guerrero has been violent for two centuries, why the new judicial reforms are a disaster, where to find the best food in Mexico and Manhattan, what a cache of illicit Mexican silver sitting on a ship in the English Channel has to do with his next book, and more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded February 27th, 2026. Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:30 - Post-Independence Mexico 00:05:18 - Peace in Yucatán 00:6:54 - Quintana Roo 00:08:24 - Mexican Infrastructure 00:10:26 - Oaxaca 00:13:54 - Great Food Outside Cities 00:16:39 - Leaders from Coahuila 00:17:50 - Military Rule and Civil War in Mexico 00:21:47 - The Cárdenas Regime 00:24:03 - The Ejido System 00:25:49 - Human Capital 00:40:59 - Doing Mexican History as a Brit 00:42:43 - Guerrero 00:48:37 - Michoacán Violence 00:50:44 - Monterrey 00:52:40 - Judicial Reforms 00:54:44 - The Best Mexican Film, Music, and Novel 00:59:42 - The Best Trip Around Mexico 01:04:05 - Outro

Historian Dr. Gerald Horne joins Africa Today for a far-reaching conversation on war, empire, Africa's geopolitical role, race, Black internationalism, and the global shifts reshaping power.   Dr. Gerald Horne—B.A. Princeton University; J.D. University of California-Berkeley; Ph.D. Columbia University—has published dozens of books, including most recently, The Capital of Slavery: Washington, D.C., 1800-1865. His past books have included works on, inter alia, Hollywood; Jazz; Boxing; African liberation movements; the Haitian Revolution (translated into French); the Cuban Revolution (translated into Spanish); the Mexican Revolution; Caribbean independence struggles; Brazilian slavery (translated into Portuguese); the Pacific War (translated into Japanese); biographies of Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois and Shirley Graham Du Bois.   A weekly news program providing information and analysis about Africa and the African Diaspora, hosted by Walter Turner. The post Africa Today- Gerald Horne appeared first on KPFA.

After Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, hopes for democracy gradually gave way to decades of instability and dictatorship.  By the early 20th century, frustration with the long rule of Porfirio Díaz finally erupted into revolution.  What followed was a decade of coups, assassinations, shifting alliances, and civil war involving figures like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.  The conflict would topple a regime, reshape Mexican society, and produce the modern Mexican state. Learn more about the Mexican Revolution and why it remains one of the most important upheavals of the 20th century on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Get your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Discord Server: https://discord.gg/Ds7Rx7jvPJ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leta Becker was thirty-seven when she married Amos after a fifteen-year courtship, and they never had kids. Leta and Amos are related to lots of people, but their closest neighbors are Leta's brother, Sam and his wife, Maggie Schneider. Amos thinks the Schneiders use more than their fare share of water to raise turkeys, and Sam thinks Amos has something wrong with him, like all the Beckers. When Maggie is shot while feeding her turkeys one March morning in 1958, Amos is the main suspect, but he's gone missing. Months pass and some think he fled to Mexico, but others suspect that like family members before him, he took his own life. This is a novel about the harshness of Texas farm country, the hardships of the Depression, and the difficulty of living without love. Inspired by a true story, Well of Deception (Stoney Creek Publishing, 2025) describes decades of drought, difficulties, and deception. Cynthia Leal Massey is a former corporate editor, college instructor, and magazine editor. She has published hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, and several award-winning books, including Death of a Texas Ranger, A True Story of Murder and Vengeance on the Texas Frontier, which won a San Antonio Conservation Society Publication Award and a Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award, and What Lies Beneath, Texas Pioneer Cemeteries and Graveyards, also a SACS Award winner. Her first novel, Fire Lilies, a saga of the Mexican Revolution, was an Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition Award Finalist for Best Historical Fiction and its sequel, The Caballeros of Ruby, Texas, was a WILLA Literary Award Finalist for Best Original Softcover Fiction. Cynthia also won the Lone Star Award for Magazine Journalism for her article “Is UT Holding Our History Hostage?” published in Scene in SA Monthly. The article was also a finalist for the Texas Institute of Letters O. Henry Award for Magazine Journalism. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Cynthia has resided in Helotes, twenty miles northwest of the Alamo City since 1994. She served on the town's city council for sixteen years. She holds a master's degree in English from St. Mary's University in San Antonio. A full-time writer, she is a past president of Women Writing the West and a member of Western Writers of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

In this episode of The Nick Fong Podcast, Nick sits down with Agustín Olachea, President of the La Paz Hotel Association, for a deep conversation about the identity, history, and future of La Paz, Baja California Sur.Recorded in a spectacular historic setting in the heart of La Paz, Casa 1880, this episode goes far beyond tourism headlines. Agustín shares a powerful multi-generational family story rooted in Baja dating back to the late 1800s and the Mexican Revolution, offering rare perspective on leadership, legacy, and long-term vision.Together, they explore why La Paz has intentionally chosen a different path from Cabo—one focused on balance, sustainability, community, and quality of life. From responsible tourism and environmental protection to economic impact and global competition, this conversation explains what makes La Paz one of Mexico's most compelling and misunderstood destinations.This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in Baja California Sur, sustainable tourism, real estate, destination growth, and the future of coastal cities.More details about Casa 1880 click here

A newspaper published in St. Louis in the early 1900s had a big impact by building support for the Mexican Revolution. This Saturday at the Missouri History Museum, historian Francisco Perez will explore the life and legacy of Ricardo Flores Magón.

In 1905, Mexican journalist Ricardo Flores Magón escaped the Porfiriato dictatorship and settled in St. Louis, where he launched the newspaper Regeneración. With 20,000 readers throughout Mexico and the U.S., the leftist publication raised awareness of growing wealth inequality, labor exploitation and political corruption in both countries. Historian Francisco Perez shares how Flores Magón connected the struggles of the American working class with that of the Mexican working class, how St. Louis' labor movement shaped Flores Magón's worldview, and why, more than a century later, the activist's politics still resonate.

When Sylvia Hernandez discovered vintage Christmas cards in a university archive, her coworkers didn't understand their significance. But for her, they represented everything familiar about growing up Mexican-American in Waco, Texas.Sylvia Hernandez, outreach and instruction librarian at Baylor University's Texas Collection and a seventh generation Wacoan, traces both sides of her family back to the Mexican Revolution. She has great-great-grandfathers, one on each side of her family tree, who crossed paths in remarkable ways long before their great-grandchildren ever met and fell in love.Through her work preserving Texas history, Sylvia has discovered her own family's story woven into the archives. From the Latin American Methodist church her ancestors helped found to the kindergarten they established for migrant children, her roots run deep in Texas. Her unique perspective as both archivist and descendant reveals how cultural traditions like Las Posadas, midnight Mass, and yes, even mysterious pots of mashed potatoes, create bridges between generations and preserve identity and connection across centuries.Discover how family stories, whether preserved in vintage Christmas cards or passed down at holiday gatherings, strengthen the connections that truly matter.〰️

The shepherd saw everything—watched as El Chalequero dragged an elderly woman toward the Consulado River, pulled a knife from hisEpisode 11 of 15 | Season 36: Serial Killers in HistoryMexico City's first documented serial killer hunted working-class women for nearly three decades. This episode examines the systemic failures that allowed Francisco Guerrero Pérez to operate freely while authorities looked the other way.The Women History ForgotMurcia Gallardo was 47 years old when she died—a market vendor in La Merced who sold chilies and produce from the same corner stall she'd operated for over a decade. Her customers knew her voice calling out prices before dawn. She had three children and six grandchildren. Her daughter worked a stall two rows over. When Francisco Guerrero Pérez offered to help carry her baskets home that evening, she had no reason to refuse. He looked respectable. Spoke politely. Everyone in the market district knew El Chalequero by sight—the well-dressed craftsman in his elegant vests.She became one of at least 21 women murdered along the Consulado River between 1880 and 1908. Market vendors, washerwomen, sex workers—women who worked brutal hours for subsistence wages, who walked to and from work in darkness because they had no choice. Women whose deaths barely registered in police records because the Porfirian authorities considered their lives disposable.Why This Case MattersThe El Chalequero case exposes a stark truth about institutional failure. For eight years, bodies appeared near the same river, bearing the same method—strangulation with the victim's own clothing. Authorities knew the pattern. Neighbors whispered the killer's name. Yet systematic investigation never came because these were poor women from working-class neighborhoods. Their deaths weren't worth resources or urgency. When Francisco Guerrero Pérez was finally convicted in 1888, it was for just one murder despite evidence suggesting at least 20 victims.Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence against women and sexual assault references. Listener discretion advised.Key Case DetailsThe investigation into El Chalequero represents one of the earliest documented serial murder cases in Mexican history, spanning nearly three decades of the Porfiriato era.• Timeline of Terror: Guerrero Pérez began killing around 1880, continued until his arrest in February 1888, was released in 1904 due to a bureaucratic error confusing him with political prisoners, and killed again in June 1908. His final victim, an elderly woman named Antonia, was witnessed by a shepherd and the Solorio sisters.• Pattern and Method: All victims were working-class women from neighborhoods along the Consulado River—Tepito, La Merced, Peralvillo. He used their own clothing, particularly rebozos (traditional shawls), to strangle them. Witnesses reported he would return to crime scenes days later to observe the aftermath.• Justice Delayed: Despite confessing and being sentenced to death twice, Guerrero Pérez never faced execution. His first death sentence was commuted to 20 years imprisonment. He died of natural causes in Hospital Juárez in November 1910—the same month the Mexican Revolution began—while awaiting his second execution.• Survivors Who Testified: Two women—Emilia, a washerwoman left for dead, and Lorenza Urrutía, a sex worker who fought back—survived attacks and later testified. Their courage provided crucial evidence that authorities had long ignored.Historical Context & SourcesThis episode draws on Mexican court records from the 1888 and 1908 trials, contemporary newspaper accounts from the Porfiriato era, and historical research into late 19th-century Mexico City's criminal justice system. The investigation reveals how the rapid industrialization under Porfirio Díaz's regime created stark divides—electric streetlights and European architecture for the wealthy, while working-class neighborhoods along the Consulado River became hunting grounds where women's deaths went largely uninvestigated. Additional insights come from studies of Porfirian-era policing priorities, which focused on protecting elite interests and suppressing political dissent rather than solving crimes against the poor.Resources & Further ReadingFor listeners interested in exploring this case and its historical context further, these sources provide additional perspective:• The Archivo General de la Nación in Mexico City maintains criminal court records from the Porfiriato era, including trial documentation from both Guerrero Pérez proceedings.• Academic studies of crime and policing during the Porfiriato, particularly work examining class dynamics in Mexican criminal justice, offer crucial context for understanding institutional failures.• Historical maps of 1880s Mexico City show the stark geographical divide between wealthy neighborhoods and the working-class districts where El Chalequero hunted.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/foul-play-crime-series/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The Compendium, we dive into the wild, beautiful, and often brutal life of Frida Kahlo. Frida Kahlo is the artist who turned her pain into power. From the accident that shattered her spine to the politics, love affairs, and Diego Rivera drama that filled her world, Frida painted every heartbreak straight onto the canvas. And today I'm going to tell Adam all about it as we explore her bold self-portraits, her surrealism before it had a name, and how a woman once dismissed as “Diego's wife” became a global symbol of art, rebellion, and self-expression, from La Casa Azul to the Tate Modern. We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources: Frida (2002) – Directed by Julie Taymor Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo – by Hayden Herrera Complete Works – Frida Kahlo – Frida Kahlo Foundation Frida: The Making of an Icon – Exhibition at Tate Modern Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox Topic Suggested by: Samantha Bingley Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll Community & Calls to Action  Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast  Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com ️ Early access episodes: Patreon  Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two Nicks—Nick Mullen and Nick Rochefort — join Geo Perez and Mike Figs for a hilarious and unhinged episode recorded at Skankfest New Orleans 2025!From speculating about the intricacies of the Mexican Revolution and the absurdity of controlled protests to recounting bizarre personal stories like getting food stamps as a "bit," this episode leaves no sacred cow unturned. The Nicks dive deep into cultural observations, including the differences between New Orleans (NOLA) and New York City culture, the architecture choices of celebrities, and even some wild theories about Hurricane Katrina and the infamous "Astoria Borealis" ConEd explosion. Plus, the guys share their thoughts on everything from finger tattoos and fine dining in NOLA to the terrifying potential of AI video technology. Don't miss this comedic rollercoaster!ON THE GATE! ENJOY!Original air date: 11.24.25 Join the live chat Wednesday nights at 11pm EST. Uncensored versions of the show streamed Monday and Thursday at 2pm EST on GaSDigital.com. Signup with code OTG for the archive of the show and others like Legion of Skanks, In Godfrey We Trust, and Story Warz. FOLLOWGeo PerezInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/geoperez86/Derek DrescherInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/derekdrescher/On The Gate! A podcast hosted by two jailbird/recovering drug addicts and active comedians Geo Perez and Derek Drescher, who talk each week about their times in jail, what they learned, what you should know, and how they are improving their life or slipping into recidivism each day!00:20 Derek's RAP Battle00:50 Derek's softball career02:07 Introducing Nick Mullen & Nick Rochefort02:40 Mexican revolution03:20 Dominican Rochefort04:05 Mexican Zohran Mamdani05:10 Mexican Jewish people07:15 The Cartels08:50 Anime Mexicans / One Piece09:25 Controlled Protests10:30 SNAP/Food Stamps12:25 Sam Hyde and Nick Rochefort getting food stamps as a bit13:25 Nick Mullen's urban hat16:05 New Orleans culture vs New York City18:20 Mayor Di Blasio was a goon19:50 Groundhogs in the news21:45 Fine dining in NOLA24:30 Hurricane Katrina theories25:05 ConEd explosion "Astoria Borealis"26:40 Finger tattoos28:00 Mullen hates Tony Hinchcliffes Austin Texas30:30 DOUG LEVINSON32:50 Celebrities build bad houses for humanity34:00 Gross looking old presidents34:35 Bubba emails37:55 AI video making is suspect40:30 AI posthumous farewells42:00 Doodoo/Voodoo Museum43:15 Wards of New Orleans45:30 Geo's NOLA stand up adventure48:00 PlugsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Renata Keller from the University of Nevada Reno, whose work focuses on the Cuban Missile Crisis and its enduring impact in Latin America. They explore public reactions in Latin America during the crisis, analyze the diverging opinions within the region, and discuss the long-term consequences. Jeremi sets the scene by reading the opening lyrics to Bob Dylan's 'Masters of War,' which was written in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Dr. Renata Keller is an associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the author of two books:  Mexico's Cold War: Cuba, the United States, and the Legacy of the Mexican Revolution and, most recently, The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War. Dr. Keller received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

For the podcast's 60th episode we are finally able to develop a lengthy and thorough discussion of The Passenger, McCarthy's penultimate novel from 2022.  I'm joined by two returning guests of the podcast: Dr. Lydia Cooper is a professor of American literature and director of the core curriculum at Seattle University. Her specializations include Native American literature, Western and southwestern literature, and gender studies, and of course Cormac McCarthy. Her most recent book is Cormac McCarthy: A Complexity Theory of Literature, published by Manchester University Press.  Other books includes Masculinities in Literature of the American West, and No More Heroes: Narrative Perspective and Morality in the Novels, those novels being the books of Cormac McCarthy.  Her work on McCarthy and on other modern and contemporary American and Native American writers has appeared in numerous academic journals such as Studies in the Novel, Studies in American Indian Literature, and Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment . She is the Vice President of the McCarthy Society. Also returning is Dr. Brent Cline. He is an associate professor of English at Hillsdale College.  He earned his PhD at Western Michigan University, where his dissertation focused on representations of mental disability and the modern novel. He has published articles and chapters involving disability on Walker Percy, James Agee, and Daniel Keyes. His review of The Passenger/Stella Maris was published with The University Bookman. His article on The Mexican Revolution and All the Pretty Horses was published recently in the CMJ.Hawaii Travel & Vacation GuideDiscover Hawaii's Best local spots and travel tips!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showStarting in spring of 2023, the podcast began accepting minor sponsorship offers to offset the costs of the podcast. This may cause a mild disconnect in earlier podcasts where the host asks for patrons in lieu of sponsorships. But if we compare it to a very large and naked bald man in the middle of the desert who leads you to an extinct volcano to create gunpowder, it seems pretty minor...

Interview with Alberto Orozco, CEO of Capital Silver Corp.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/capitan-silver-tsxvcapt-mexico-explorer-raises-53m-at-premium-and-announces-exploration-plan-6828Recording date: 6th October 2025Capitan Silver Corp. has achieved what no company has accomplished in over a century: consolidating Mexico's historically productive Cruz de Plata silver district under single ownership. Through two strategic transactions in 2022 and August 2024, the company has reunited lands where Peñoles mining company operated its first mine, producing 300 up to 2,000 g/t silver from the late 1800s until the Mexican Revolution fragmented the property in 1908.The consolidation has unlocked more than just historical mining grounds. A geological breakthrough revealed that mineralization wraps around an intrusive body, expanding the company's exploration targets threefold from 7 to over 20 kilometers of cumulative structural targets. The addition of over 2,000 hectares provides multiple discovery pathways within a single unified project, creating portfolio diversification that reduces exploration risk while maximizing upside potential.Leading this effort, CEO Alberto Orozco and the management team is composed primarily of ex-Argonaut Gold personnel who built and operated three mines on time and on budget. Their operational experience distinguishes Capitan Silver from exploration peers focused solely on resource definition. The team evaluates Cruz de Plata through a developer's lens, considering mining methods, processing requirements, and operational costs from the earliest exploration stages, with recent hires focused specifically on development aspects signaling medium-term production ambitions.Management's strategic discipline during the challenging markets of 2022-2023 demonstrates commitment to long-term shareholder value over short-term activity. Rather than pursuing dilutive financing to continue drilling when capital markets were unfavorable, the company paused exploration to focus on property consolidation and royalty removal. This counter-intuitive approach positioned Capitan Silver with a royalty-free asset and exceptionally clean capital structure—including zero warrants outstanding and recent financings completed at 30% premiums to market—precisely as silver fundamentals strengthened and capital returned to the sector.The Jesus Maria target, where 1.5 kilometers of strike length has been defined through drilling, exemplifies the project's key advantages. Mineralization outcrops at surface and extends to depth without requiring penetration through barren overburden, enabling cost-efficient reverse circulation drilling to test the upper 150-200 meters rapidly before committing to more expensive diamond drilling. The first 11 holes from the current program have already identified a new high-grade zone and delivered one of the best results in the property's history.Cruz de Plata represents an intermediate sulfidation epithermal system, a deposit type that has generated billion-dollar valuations through successful examples including Vizsla Silver's $2 billion market capitalization. At Capitan Silver's current valuation of approximately $180 million, the company trades at a significant discount to established peers, offering potential 10x+ upside if drilling validates the expanded geological model and demonstrates comparable scale and grade.The timing appears favorable on multiple fronts. Silver prices approach $50 per ounce, driven by strengthening industrial demand from solar panels and electric vehicles combined with traditional investment demand. Mexico's regulatory environment has improved measurably under the Sheinbaum administration, with permitting advancing across the sector. Strategic investor participation, including Michael Gentile since 2021, provides patient capital and validation through extensive due diligence.For investors seeking leveraged exposure to silver exploration with proven management capable of advancing discoveries toward production, Capitan Silver offers a compelling opportunity built on historical validation, modern geological understanding, and disciplined execution in a strengthening fundamental environment.View Capitan Silver's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/capitan-silverSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

If you're not a patron, subscribe at patreon.com/workstoppage to get full access to the episode. Even as the Mexican Revolution was winding down, the struggle for equal rights in their own country by Mexican miners and oil workers was still heating up. In the late 1910s and early 1920s, spurred by the forces of change in the revolution and the staunch internationalism of the IWW, Mexican miners launched some of their biggest strikes yet. Facing intransigent bosses, gunboat diplomacy by the US, and dealing with a bourgeois government dedicated to ensuring stability for investment, the challenges the miners faced were steep. But even decades of violent repression couldn't stop the struggle for a fair living by the workers facing some of the deadliest conditions in any industry. We close our survey of the struggles of Mexican miners on both sides of the border with the epic battle between Mine Mill Local 890 and Empire Zinc, a struggle so inspiring it was captured on film. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

With its proximity to Latin America, Louisiana has long enjoyed a treasure trove of delightful food and spirits from south of the border. This week, we take a long look at that bounty. First, we hear from two-time James Beard Award winner Ted Genoways, author of Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico. Ted tells the real story behind the rise of Mexico's tequila industry – a tale that involves building railroads, a world's fair, the Mexican Revolution, and even American Prohibition. At the center of the story is Jose Cuervo, who isn't just a brand, but a real person born in Mexico's Tequila Valley in the late 19th century. His investment, innovation, and some clever maneuverings ensured the industry's survival and eventual flourishing success. Surprisingly, Ted's book is the first biography written on the legendary tequila-maker. Then, we hear from Jimena Urrutia and Marcelo Garcia, the talented husband-and-wife team behind one of New Orleans' most innovative eateries: Empanola. Together, they have transformed traditional empanadas into authentic tastes of Louisiana and a myriad of international flavors as well. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Subscribe now to get skip the ads and get more content! Danny and Derek once again speak with historian Greg Grandin about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this second part of the conversation, they follow US–Latin American relations from the American Civil War through the present. The discussion covers the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the contradictions of U.S. expansion cloaked in the language of human rights, the Mexican Revolution as a defining challenge to US power, Woodrow Wilson's and FDR's occupations and the Good Neighbor Policy, the Cold War, the neoliberal turn, the endurance of social movements in the face of American-backed violence, and why contemporary Latin American politics still display revolutionary undercurrents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek once again speak with historian Greg Grandin about his recent book, America, América: A New History of the New World. In this second part of the conversation, they follow US–Latin American relations from the American Civil War through the present. The discussion covers the Spanish-American War of 1898 and the contradictions of U.S. expansion cloaked in the language of human rights, the Mexican Revolution as a defining challenge to US power, Woodrow Wilson's and FDR's occupations and the Good Neighbor Policy, the Cold War, the neoliberal turn, the endurance of social movements in the face of American-backed violence, and why contemporary Latin American politics still display revolutionary undercurrents.Our Sponsors:* Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/THENATIONAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of What's My Thesis?, Los Angeles printmaker Israel Campos shares how his work bridges Mesoamerican codices, Mexican revolutionary art, and the mural traditions of his South Central upbringing. Known for his meticulous intaglio prints, Campos reclaims visual histories disrupted by colonization—collapsing linear perspective, weaving ancient mythologies, and drawing on the political legacies of artists like José Clemente Orozco. From growing up in a garment factory household to exhibiting at Charlie James Gallery, Campos has shaped a practice that circulates both within galleries and directly to his community, merging economic sustainability with political intent.

August 28, 1920. In the town of Tequila, fireworks burst overhead as people celebrate Mexico's independence. Then… gunshots. Malachías Cuervo, heir to the famous tequila dynasty, has just reignited a bitter feud with his family's rivals, the Sauzas. For decades, his brother José Cuervo fought to rebuild the family business through drought, revolution, and political upheaval—turning a struggling operation into an empire. His tactfulness allowed Cuervo to survive as one of the most popular tequila brands in the world today. How is José Cuervo able to navigate the Mexican Revolution, and a cutthroat industry? And what does his life reveal about the history of his country? Special thanks to Ted Genoways, author of Tequila Wars: José Cuervo and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico. Artwork: José Cuervo, ca. 1914 (colorized) -- Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek Follow on Facebook: ⁠HISTORY This Week Podcast⁠ To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a text Krysti leads off with the tale of Clipperton Island. This island is now the home to poisonous crabs and that's about it. This island was “owned” by many countries by the end of its saga. This island was the source of mass amounts of guano which was in high demand for fertilizer. There were fights between countries over this itty bitty island. This led to Mexico claiming the island and leaving a contingent of folks to guard it. These settlers get stuck due to things like WWI and the Mexican Revolution. This also prevented the supply ships from coming. All the things proceed to go wrong and bat shit crazy is a term for a reason. This island is now a French island. Tori takes us to Edinburgh Castle. This castle has been in use since AD 638. This castle has been a source of conflict between the English and the Scottish. The Scots did retain it and is home to the Lia Fail and the Honours of Scotland. This castle has been the home to kings, queens, sheriffs, and soldiers. The castle itself is made of limestone, we've talked about limestone and stone tape theory before. And guess what? This sucker is haunted with many ghosts. Our Sources: historydefined.net, damninteresting.com, historicmysteries.com, historic-uk.com, edinburghcastle.scot, great-castles.com, thelittlehouseofhorrors.com, mercattours.comOur theme music:   Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre - Busy Strings by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Support the show

In this captivating episode, we delve into the vibrant world of Escaramuza, a traditional Mexican equestrian sport that beautifully intertwines culture, history, and personal passion. Join us as we explore the roots of this unique sport, inspired by the brave Adelitas of the Mexican Revolution, and hear personal stories from dedicated riders who share their journey of discipline, teamwork, and cultural pride. Discover how Escaramuza serves as a powerful connection to heritage and a testament to the enduring spirit of Mexican-American communities. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that celebrates tradition and the personal bonds forged through this extraordinary sport.

I sat down with author/comedian Elizabeth Redmond and discussed her amazing novel, "The Final Resting Place of a Butterfly." I really enjoyed this book; the imagery was palpable and touched upon all of the five senses, it made you feel like you were really there in the midst of the Mexican Revolution. Redmond's novel also deals with themes such as multiculturalism, dealing with narcissistic abuse, generational trauma, and feminism. This book truly pulled on my heartstrings, and I highly advise people to check it out.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bad-book-bash--5889791/support.

Ever wondered about the real story behind a bottle of tequila? It's not just about agave and distilling; it's a dramatic saga of revolution, political betrayal, and intense family rivalries. In this episode, we're joined by author Ted Genoways to uncover the incredible history of Jose Cuervo, a story that is far more turbulent and cinematic than you can imagine. We'll explore how one man's ambition to build a business empire became entangled in a bloody struggle for the very spirit of Mexico.Join us as we dive deep into the subjects of Ted Genoways' groundbreaking book, "Tequila Wars." Discover how the tequila industry wasn't just a bystander but a central player in Mexico's national conflicts. We explore the bitter Cuervo and Sauza family rivalry, a competition that shaped not only the business but also the political landscape of Jalisco. Learn about the Porfirio Diaz tequila industry connection, where Cuervo's own uncle, Florentino Cuervo, was a key figure in the revolution that brought Diaz to power, only to be betrayed later. This complex saga reveals how these families navigated shifting allegiances and constant violence during the tumultuous era of tequila and the Mexican Revolution. From militia leaders running distilleries to the struggle to build modern infrastructure like railroads amidst national chaos, this conversation uncovers a lost chapter of history.This episode peels back the label to reveal the true story behind one of the world's most famous spirits. We discuss how Jose Cuervo's project to rebuild his family's empire was a narrative of genius and resilience, culminating at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, a pivotal moment that forced the industry to modernize. Yet, just as Cuervo built the infrastructure for a global business, the revolution erupted, forcing distilleries to close and pitting figures like Pancho Villa against American interests right on the distribution lines. The full history of Jose Cuervo is a tale of how a regional spirit survived near-constant warfare to become a national symbol, ironically aided by the era of Prohibition in the United States. Don't miss this fascinating discussion about Ted Genoways Tequila Wars, a story waiting to be told.About Our Guest:Ted Genoways is an acclaimed author and journalist. His book, "Tequila Wars: Jose Cuervo, and the Bloody Struggle for the Spirit of Mexico," is the result of years of deep investigation into a history that many believed was lost forever. Sparked by family stories from his father, a bat biologist who worked in the agave fields of Jalisco, Ted embarked on a journey to uncover the archives and family secrets of the tequila titans, revealing their central role in the shaping of modern Mexico.Timestamps / Chapters:(00:00) The Secret History of Tequila(02:52) The Real "Tequila Wars": More Than Just Business(04:53) From Family Stories to a Historical Epic(12:05) The Cuervo and Sauza Rivalry: A Battle for Tequila's Soul(16:55) The Porfirio Diaz Era: Tequila's Role in National Politics(22:37) Uncovering Lost History: The Challenge of Research(26:59) How Railroads Became Critical for Tequila's Expansion(34:41) Surviving the Mexican Revolution and Pancho Villa(38:59) How the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair Modernized Tequila(44:59) Will "Tequila Wars" Become a Movie or TV Series?

If you're not a patron, subscribe at patreon.com/workstoppage to get full access to the episode. In this third episode of our series on the class struggles on the US-Mexico border, we finish our high level overview of the political class struggle on the border from the end of the Mexican Revolution to the end of World War 2. With the consolidation of the Revolution in a liberal direction, we will discuss the attempts of workers to capitalize on their gains, and the Mexican state to control and contain their struggles. We cover the rise of nativist racism in the leadership of US trade unions and its counterproductive attacks on immigrant workers, as well as the efforts by radicals in the Communist and Socialist parties to change this and build true classwide unity. The Great Depression forced millions on both sides of the border to fight or starve and this period saw some of the greatest victories of mass working class industrial action. But without the consolidation of an independent political movement, the limitations of these efforts would become all too clear. In the next sections of our series, we will focus in on the specifics of the labor struggles waged by workers in the fields, mines, and factories. We'll discuss the long history of attempts at multi-national unity in the labor struggle and both the successes and failures of the labor movement to rise to the challenge. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Anti-Catholicism in the Mexican Revolution, 1913–1940 examines anti-Catholic leaders and movements during the Mexican Revolution, an era that resulted in a constitution denying the Church political rights. Anti-Catholic Mexicans recognized a common enemy in a politically active Church in a predominantly Catholic nation. Many books have elucidated the popular roots and diversity of Roman Catholicism in Mexico, but the perspective of the Church's adversaries has remained much less understood.This volume provides a fresh perspective on the violent conflict between Catholics and the revolutionary state, which was led by anti-Catholics such as Plutarco Elías Calles, who were bent on eradicating the influence of the Catholic Church in politics, in the nation's educational system, and in the national consciousness. The zeal with which anti-Catholics pursued their goals—and the equal vigor with which Catholics defended their Church and their faith—explains why the conflict between Catholics and anti-Catholics turned violent, culminating in the devastating Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929).Collecting essays by a team of senior scholars in history and cultural studies, the book includes chapters on anti-Catholic leaders and intellectuals, movements promoting scientific education and anti-alcohol campaigns, muralism, feminist activists, and Mormons and Mennonites. A concluding afterword by Matthew Butler, a global authority on twentieth-century Mexican religion, provides a larger perspective on the themes of the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Anti-Catholicism in the Mexican Revolution, 1913–1940 examines anti-Catholic leaders and movements during the Mexican Revolution, an era that resulted in a constitution denying the Church political rights. Anti-Catholic Mexicans recognized a common enemy in a politically active Church in a predominantly Catholic nation. Many books have elucidated the popular roots and diversity of Roman Catholicism in Mexico, but the perspective of the Church's adversaries has remained much less understood.This volume provides a fresh perspective on the violent conflict between Catholics and the revolutionary state, which was led by anti-Catholics such as Plutarco Elías Calles, who were bent on eradicating the influence of the Catholic Church in politics, in the nation's educational system, and in the national consciousness. The zeal with which anti-Catholics pursued their goals—and the equal vigor with which Catholics defended their Church and their faith—explains why the conflict between Catholics and anti-Catholics turned violent, culminating in the devastating Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929).Collecting essays by a team of senior scholars in history and cultural studies, the book includes chapters on anti-Catholic leaders and intellectuals, movements promoting scientific education and anti-alcohol campaigns, muralism, feminist activists, and Mormons and Mennonites. A concluding afterword by Matthew Butler, a global authority on twentieth-century Mexican religion, provides a larger perspective on the themes of the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Anti-Catholicism in the Mexican Revolution, 1913–1940 examines anti-Catholic leaders and movements during the Mexican Revolution, an era that resulted in a constitution denying the Church political rights. Anti-Catholic Mexicans recognized a common enemy in a politically active Church in a predominantly Catholic nation. Many books have elucidated the popular roots and diversity of Roman Catholicism in Mexico, but the perspective of the Church's adversaries has remained much less understood.This volume provides a fresh perspective on the violent conflict between Catholics and the revolutionary state, which was led by anti-Catholics such as Plutarco Elías Calles, who were bent on eradicating the influence of the Catholic Church in politics, in the nation's educational system, and in the national consciousness. The zeal with which anti-Catholics pursued their goals—and the equal vigor with which Catholics defended their Church and their faith—explains why the conflict between Catholics and anti-Catholics turned violent, culminating in the devastating Cristero Rebellion (1926–1929).Collecting essays by a team of senior scholars in history and cultural studies, the book includes chapters on anti-Catholic leaders and intellectuals, movements promoting scientific education and anti-alcohol campaigns, muralism, feminist activists, and Mormons and Mennonites. A concluding afterword by Matthew Butler, a global authority on twentieth-century Mexican religion, provides a larger perspective on the themes of the book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

If you're not a patron, subscribe at patreon.com/workstoppage to get full access to the episode. In this second episode of our series on the class struggles on the US-Mexico border, we explore the working class movements that helped shape the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). Over the decade long revolutionary period, Mexican workers and peasants fought to establish rights that had been held back by the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. Through the PLM, the IWW, the COM, and various peasant organizations, the working classes organized and fought in unprecedented numbers. The different bourgeois forces vying to replace Diaz and consolidate the state under their power sought the support of workers, as their organized strength repeatedly swung the balance of power from one group to another. We discuss the gains, losses, and occasional inspiring revolutionary victories of the Mexican working classes, and how these carry lessons for our struggles today. In future episodes, we'll discuss the consolidation of the control of the Mexican labor movement under the state, the surge in migration to the North, the fight against racist nativism, and the struggles of workers on both sides of the border during the Great Depression.  Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

For questions, comments or to get involved, e-mail us at audibleanarchist(at)gmail.com The story can be read at https://libcom.org/article/mexican-jack-london Jack London's short story about a young boxer who uses his prize money to fund the Mexican Revolution.

If you're not a patron, subscribe at patreon.com/workstoppage to get full access to the episode. As migrant workers across the US face an onslaught of racist state terrorism from ICE and other federal agencies, solidarity from the labor movement is more critical than ever. One of the most powerful tools of repression that the bosses have is using racist dehumanization to split workers against each other across national lines. So now more than ever, it's critical that American workers understand that these migrant workers are our brothers and sisters, and that only by uniting with them can we advance our class interests. For as long as there has been a border between the US and Mexico, workers on both sides have only ever won their struggles against oppression through unity, rather than division. In this series, using the incredible book Radicals in the Barrio by Professor Justin Akers Chacon as our core guide, we will discuss the history of shared working class struggles by Mexican and Mexican American workers on both sides of the border from the Mexican-American War to the Cold War.  In this first episode, we will begin by laying the groundwork for the politics of the Mexican Revolution, looking back through the history of colonization, independence, war with the United States, and relations with US Imperialism. In future episodes, we'll discuss the role of the working class in the Mexican Revolution, how these revolutionaries brought their ideas north across the border and influenced struggles in the US, and how multi-national unity has been critical to any labor victories won in the Southwest for over 150 years. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Margaret reads you more short stories written by the one of the ideological leaders of the Mexican Revolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fernando Pérez-Montesinos's first book, Landscaping Indigenous Mexico: The Liberal State and Capitalism in the Purépecha Highlands (University of Texas Press, 2025), focuses on the Purépecha people of Michoacán, Mexico, and examines why and how long-standing patterns of communal landholding changed in response to liberal policies, railroad expansion, and the rise of the timber industry in Mexico. A history of the Purépecha people's survival amid environmental and political changes. Fernando Pérez-Montesinos holds that landscapes are more than geological formations; they are living records of human struggles. Landscaping Indigenous Mexico unearths the history of Juátarhu, an Indigenous landscape shaped and nurtured by the Purépecha—a formidable Mesoamerican people whose power once rivaled that of the Aztecs. Although cataclysmic changes came with European contact and colonization, Juátarhu's enduring agroecology continued to sustain local life through centuries of challenges. Contesting essentialist narratives of Indigenous penury, Pérez Montesinos shows how Purépechas thrived after Mexican independence in 1821, using Juátarhu's diverse agroecology to negotiate continued autonomy amid waves of national economic and political upheaval. After 1870, however, autonomy waned under the pressure of land privatization policies, state intervention, and industrial logging. On the eve of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, Purépechas stood at a critical juncture: Would the Indigenous landscape endure or succumb? Offering a fresh perspective on a seemingly well-worn subject, Pérez Montesinos argues that Michoacán, long considered a peripheral revolutionary region, saw one of the era's most radical events: the destruction of the liberal order and the timber capitalism of Juátarhu. Fernando Pérez-Montesinos is a historian of modern Mexico with a focus on the nineteenth century and the Mexican revolution at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research combines environmental, social, and indigenous history to study the connections between processes of land privatization, class and state formation, and ecological change. At UCLA, he teaches courses on modern Latin America and Mexico, as well as environmental and indigenous history. I am currently one of the senior editors of the Hispanic American Historical Review. A chilango at heart, he enjoys tacos al pastor, the Mexican summer rains, and playing fingerstyle guitar. Hugo Peralta-Ramírez is a doctoral student in Colonial Mexican History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he works on the intersection of land, labor, and law among the indigenous communities of Oaxaca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Fernando Pérez-Montesinos's first book, Landscaping Indigenous Mexico: The Liberal State and Capitalism in the Purépecha Highlands (University of Texas Press, 2025), focuses on the Purépecha people of Michoacán, Mexico, and examines why and how long-standing patterns of communal landholding changed in response to liberal policies, railroad expansion, and the rise of the timber industry in Mexico. A history of the Purépecha people's survival amid environmental and political changes. Fernando Pérez-Montesinos holds that landscapes are more than geological formations; they are living records of human struggles. Landscaping Indigenous Mexico unearths the history of Juátarhu, an Indigenous landscape shaped and nurtured by the Purépecha—a formidable Mesoamerican people whose power once rivaled that of the Aztecs. Although cataclysmic changes came with European contact and colonization, Juátarhu's enduring agroecology continued to sustain local life through centuries of challenges. Contesting essentialist narratives of Indigenous penury, Pérez Montesinos shows how Purépechas thrived after Mexican independence in 1821, using Juátarhu's diverse agroecology to negotiate continued autonomy amid waves of national economic and political upheaval. After 1870, however, autonomy waned under the pressure of land privatization policies, state intervention, and industrial logging. On the eve of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, Purépechas stood at a critical juncture: Would the Indigenous landscape endure or succumb? Offering a fresh perspective on a seemingly well-worn subject, Pérez Montesinos argues that Michoacán, long considered a peripheral revolutionary region, saw one of the era's most radical events: the destruction of the liberal order and the timber capitalism of Juátarhu. Fernando Pérez-Montesinos is a historian of modern Mexico with a focus on the nineteenth century and the Mexican revolution at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research combines environmental, social, and indigenous history to study the connections between processes of land privatization, class and state formation, and ecological change. At UCLA, he teaches courses on modern Latin America and Mexico, as well as environmental and indigenous history. I am currently one of the senior editors of the Hispanic American Historical Review. A chilango at heart, he enjoys tacos al pastor, the Mexican summer rains, and playing fingerstyle guitar. Hugo Peralta-Ramírez is a doctoral student in Colonial Mexican History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he works on the intersection of land, labor, and law among the indigenous communities of Oaxaca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/latin-american-studies

Margaret continues talking with Kat Abu about the Mexican liberals who became anarchists and sparked a revolution. Original Air Date: 7.26.23 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret talks with Kat Abu about the Mexican liberals who became anarchists and sparked a revolution. Original Air Date: 7.24.23See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With almost 2,000 miles of shared border, the United States and Mexico have a long history of cooperation and conflict. From territory and trade, to migration and the war on drugs - in this episode we are going to explore this relationship.Don is joined by Professor Renata Keller from the University of Nevada, Reno. Renata's upcoming book is 'The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War'. She is also the author of 'Nuclear Reactions: Latin America and the Cuban Missile Crisis' and 'Mexico's Cold War: Cuba, the United States, and the Legacy of the Mexican Revolution'.Edited by Tim Arstall, Produced by Sophie Gee, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast

Margaret reads you several short stories written by the one of the ideological leaders of the Mexican Revolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a preview of a premium episode from our Patreon feed, Paid Costly For Me! Head over to Patreon.com/PodCastyForMe to hear more for just $5 a month. We return to our very slow trip through the films of Sergio Leone with 1971's DUCK, YOU SUCKER!, also known as A FISTFUL OF DYNAMITE, also known as GIÙ LA TESTA, a story of the Mexican Revolution starring Rod Steiger and James Coburn. It's a real humdinger of an episode, as Jake's allergies flare up while he tells a long story about some unpleasant men at the barbershop, Ian explains the Mexican Revolution, and we both read passages from Frantz Fanon. Enjoy! Thanks as always to Jetski for our theme music and to Jeremy Allison for our artwork. https://www.podcastyforme.com/ Follow Pod Casty For Me: https://twitter.com/podcastyforme https://www.instagram.com/podcastyforme/ https://www.youtube.com/@podcastyforme Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PodCastyForMe Artwork by Jeremy Allison: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyallisonart  

At long last we embark on the story of the anarchists who laid the groundwork for the Mexican Revolution and for a dumb comedian to exist 100 years later. Gabe Pacheco from Halal Cartels joins us to discuss our collective history. GABE PACHECO + HALAL CARTELS @gabe_Pacheco on TWITTER @gabepac1 on IG https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/halalcartels/ https://linktr.ee/Gabepacheco SOURCES Bad Mexicans by Kelly Lytle Hernandez Dreams of Freedom by Chaz Bufe & Mitchell Vowen Verter on AK Press Jake's life MERCH poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com PATREON + DISCORD patreon.com/poddamnamerica

Guest: Kelly Lytle Hernández is the Thomas E. Lifka Endowed Chair in History and the director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA.  She is a 2019 MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient and the author of the award-winning books Migra!, City of Inmates, and her latest, Bad Mexicans Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands winner of the 2023 Bancroft Prize in American History. The post The Mexican Revolution and The Migrants Who Sparked it appeared first on KPFA.

Episode No. 705 features curators Dalila Scruggs and Catherine Morris, and artist Beatriz Cortez. With Mary Lee Corlett, Scruggs and Morris are the co-curators of "Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist" at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. The exhibition surveys Catlett's career across over 150 sculptures, prints, paintings, and drawings. The exhibition is on view through July 6. An exceptional exhibition catalogue, titled Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies was published by the The University of Chicago Press, the NGA and the Brooklyn Museum, which originated the exhibition. It is available from Amazon and Bookshop for $56-60. Catlett was a feminist, activist, and radical who helped join the Black Left in the US to influences from the Mexican Revolution. Her work continued the practice of earlier US artists such as Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, and Carleton Watkins by using cultural production to advance ideas and ideologies. Cortez is featured in "Seeds: Containers of a World to Come" at the Kemper Art Museum, Washington University in St. Louis. The exhibition features work by ten artists whose research-driven practices are informed by inquiry into plant-human-land relations. "Seeds" was curated by Meredith Malone and Svea Braeunert, and remains on view through July 28. The exhibition brochure is available here. "Beatriz Cortez x rafa esparza: Earth and Cosmos" is at the Americas Society, New York through May 17. The show considers the idea of ancient objects traveling across space and time. Cortez's work explores simultaneity, life in different temporalities, and imaginaries of the future. She has been featured in solo exhibitions at Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, NY,; the Williams College Museum of Art; Clockshop, Los Angeles; and more. Instagram: Catherine Janet Morris, Beatriz Cortez, Tyler Green.

This week on Astonishing Legends, we conclude our two-part exploration into the enigmatic disappearance of Ambrose Bierce. Last week, we chronicled his vibrant life and career, culminating in his mysterious 1913 journey into Mexico.  This week, we delve deeper, examining the turbulent backdrop of the Mexican Revolution and how it might have played a role in his vanishing. Was Bierce a casualty of the conflict, caught in the crossfire? Or, as some suggest, did he become a victim of Pancho Villa himself?  We explore these theories, considering his known disdain for aging and his fascination with unsolved mysteries, mirroring themes throughout his own macabre writings.  A missing letter and conflicting accounts spark questions about hidden agendas and the possibility of a meticulously planned exit.  While the Grand Canyon suicide theory persists, we weigh the evidence and consider alternative explanations, including the intriguing, if improbable, fringe theories involving crystal skulls and ancient ruins in the Paquimé region of Mexico.  Ultimately, we're left to ponder whether Bierce's disappearance was a carefully crafted narrative, a tragic accident, or something far more extraordinary.  Join us as we uncover the clues and confront the enduring puzzle of Bierce's final act. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.