Episode #1253
Ioan Grillo
Books mentioned
The Transformation of War
Mentioned by Ioan Grillo · at 01:41:54
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co)
El Narco
Mentioned by Ioan Grillo · at 02:05:45
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Transcript (podscripts.co) · Official episode description (podcast RSS)
Gangster Warlords
Mentioned by Ioan Grillo · at 02:05:45
Amazon (opens in a new tab; affiliate link) Source: Official episode description (podcast RSS) · Transcript (podscripts.co)
Timestamps are segment start times from the podscripts.co transcript of the audio release (includes ad reads), so they may differ from the video by a few minutes.
Ioan Grillo is a journalist who has spent 18 years reporting on Mexico’s drug war, organized crime, and the corruption and social conditions that fuel cartel violence. He discusses territorial fragmentation, law enforcement, gun trafficking, El Chapo’s trial and escape, possible policy responses, and how Mexico’s violence compares with conventional war.
What they talked about
- Ioan Grillo's background in Mexico journalism
- Corruption in Mexican police and cartels
- Cartel recruitment of young people
- Violence levels compared to medieval Europe
- US gun trafficking to Mexico
- El Chapo's trial and family
- Migrant caravans and human smuggling
- Drug legalization as a solution
Data last updated · Report a mistake · How it works: mentions are pulled from public transcripts and episode descriptions, partly with AI-assisted extraction, so details and timestamps can be off.