The Mining Minefield: US Sets Sights on Mexico’s Strategic Minerals

In episode 95 of Soberanía, hosts José Luis Granados Ceja and Kurt Hackbarth tackle the controversy surrounding the U.S.-Mexico critical minerals agreement, examining what it actually says, what it doesn’t, and why it has sparked widespread concern over national sovereignty and resource control. They contrast the deal with the government’s parallel effort to revoke inactive mining concessions, a move that reaffirms state authority over strategic resources.Next, they turn to the Mexican politicians who attended CPAC in Washington, including the so-called “migrant deputy” Raúl Torres. At a time of aggressive ICE raids and documented abuses against Mexican nationals, the hosts scrutinize the absence of migrant defense and the optics of aligning with the U.S. far right.Finally, they investigate a damning report from the ICIJ revealing that nearly half of the .50 caliber ammunition seized from cartels in Mexico comes from a single U.S. Army-owned plant, highlighting the contradiction of U.S. demands for Mexican action while Washington profits from the arms flow.The episode closes with a sharp Losers and Haters segment aimed at Felipe Calderón, who uncritically amplified unsubstantiated allegations against López Obrador—an irony not lost on the hosts.