Is Mexico sliding into authoritarianism?

In the first episode of Mexico Decoded Podcast, we unpack Morena’s rise, judicial reform, and democratic backsliding with Edwin Ackerman, Associate Professor of Sociology at Syracuse University.

When international media talks about Mexico these days, it’s often through a narrow lens: one that focuses, increasingly, on the idea that Mexico is sliding into authoritarianism.

That concern tends to rest on a few key ideas. One is that Morena, the ruling party, has concentrated too much power through its electoral dominance. Another is that the recent judicial reform has undermined the separation of powers. And there’s also criticism of Morena’s push to bring independent constitutional bodies under executive control.

But is that the full picture? Or is there something deeper going on?

This is the very first episode of Mexico Decoded, and I’m excited to kick things off with this important conversation next to Prof. Ackerman who has written extensively about Mexico’s political landscape.

If you're curious, I highly recommend his piece "Transforming Mexico" in New Left Review, his book "Origins of the Mass Party" from Oxford University Press, and his recent debate in The Nation—which I was actually part of.

Let’s get into it.