Viva Mexico Podcast

In the final episode of the year we speak to the actor Natalia Cordova about her role as the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in Disney Pixar's Coco. Cordova also reveals the prevalence of sexual harassment in Mexico's entertainment industry in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. And we discuss Mexico's presidential candidates and look back on our personal highlights from this podcast.

We discuss the impact of the devastating earthquake that killed over 300 people in Mexico last month. We also speak to Susana Ochoa, a local activist and congressional candidate, about the response to the earthquake, the importance of feminism in Mexican politics, and the growth of the grassroots Wikipolítica movement. If you want to help the victims of Mexico's earthquake, please donate to this initiative organised by Mexican actors Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal: https://donate.omaze.com/mexico Or the Cruz Roja, Mexico's Red Cross: https://cruzrojadonaciones.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI84zzrqjS1gIVErjACh2wVwu8EAAYAiAAEgI2jvD_B Watch the full video of our interview with Susana Ochoa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiPny_kiqls

Mexico’s leading millennial comedian Sofía Niño de Rivera tells us about her own brand of standup, her work in prisons and her meeting with Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto. Like us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/VivaMexPodcast/ Watch the video of our full interview with Sofía here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DCmHmmVYD4

In an exclusive interview the former Mexican president Vicente Fox tells us why he's been trolling Donald Trump for the last two years. Fox also explains why Mexico should legalise all drugs and reveals a pact he made with current president Enrique Peña Nieto. Watch the full video of our interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GttZ4ojCK9A

Booker Prize winning novelist DBC Pierre tells us how growing up in Mexico influenced his writing. We also speak to the historian Andrew Paxman about his new biography of William Jenkins, an American entrepreneur who became the richest man in Mexico. His book "Jenkins of Mexico" is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Jenkins-Mexico-Southern-Mexican-Magnate/dp/0190455748/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499629821&sr=8-1&keywords=jenkins+of+mexico

María de Jesús Patricio Martínez, the first indigenous woman to ever run for president in Mexico, tells us what she hopes to achieve through her campaign. We also discuss the murder of Mexican journalist Javier Valdez with Adrian López, the editor of a newspaper in Sinaloa.

British author, journalist and activist Owen Jones discusses Donald Trump, Mexico, protest and the press. Women's rights activist Sofía Virgen talks about the conviction and sentencing of the murderers of her sister Imelda and the culture of blaming female victims of violence in Mexico. And we discuss Ted Cruz's plans to make billionaire drug lord "El Chapo" pay for Trump's border wall.

Three-time presidential candidate Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas tells us Mexico needs a different kind of government to defend it from Donald Trump's attacks. We also discuss the state of the Mexican left and populist politics. Thanks to Miguel Solórzano for helping us to dub the interview.

We discuss how Mexico could respond in a trade war with the Donald Trump administration, and award-winning Mexican-American journalist and author Alfredo Corchado tells us he sees his reporting as a bridge between the communities on both sides of the border.

Pedro Kumamoto, the first independent candidate ever elected to congress in the western state of Jalisco, tells us about his plans to reduce the public funding of Mexico's political parties. We also discuss the impact of Donald Trump and what Mexico could do to defend itself against his threats.