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Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host. You seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn Ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows. To reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn Ads, go to libsyn ads.com that's L I B S Y-N ads.com today.
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I want to share with you how Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum continues to outmaneuver Donald Trump and the incoming Trump administration. I want to share with you the subtleties of international diplomacy. And I want to show you when Donald Trump's out there making social media posts where he's like mocking the concept of the annexation of Canada, when Donald Trump's out there making social media posts with himself and Elvis, I want to compare that to the steps that our trading adversaries like China are taking to to actually court current allies of the United States like Mexico and others, and bring them more in the orbit and ambit of China. So let's tie this all together, the subtleties here, right? So what's been going on behind the scenes since the election? Well, There was a G20 conference, a G20 summit. It was in Brazil. President Xi Jinping of China was there. And in the lead up to the G20 GGPing requested a meeting with Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's new president. And at first it was reported that she was not going to be doing this meeting and that she would be, you know, turning that down. She would see him there, of course, but she would not be meeting with Xi Jinping. Ultimately, she met with Xi Jinping. As a result, in my view of the fact that Donald Trump was elected and to send a message that China is the number two trading partner with Mexico, and if America screws over its ally Mexico, Mexico is going to turn more heavily to China. You see, China has been courting Mexico to join the BRICS bloc. Brics, it's an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. And there's a bunch of other countries as well. It's an alliance that's growing as well. America under President Biden had applied the appropriate pressure on Mexico, but through lots of carrots and the types of normal relations you'd have with your ally to try to make sure that Mexico would not join the BRICS bloc. And so we saw Mexico's previous president, Obrador Emmanuel Lopez Obrador, back, for example, on August 9, 2023. He said that basically Putin and G can forget putting Mexico in their multipolar club. And he said that Mexico would never be joining brics. And he was very kind of clear and strongly and strong about how he worded it. He said he denied back in August 2023 that Mexico had any interest in joining BRICS. Quote, this is the former president of Mexico. We are not going to participate in this bloc, in this association. Of course we welcome the fact that other countries are doing so. However, for economic, neighborhood and geopolitical reasons, we will continue to strengthen the North American alliance and all of America. He said, notice what he said. Neighborhood. In other words, because we're allies with America, America doesn't want us to do that and we have a good relationship with America, our ally. Right. So that was the status before. Then you have a new president coming into Mexico, same party, by the way, Claudia Sheinbaum's many ways a protege of Obrador. But you know, she's certainly her, her own person, powerful, powerful person there in Mexico, a long time activist. Then there's the election of Trump. And so what does Trump do right away? First thing, he does threaten Mexico and Canada with a blanket 25% tariff, which you know about, we've reported before. And then he also threatens BRICS countries with a 100% tariff. Just say tariff this, tariff that, we're tariffing everything right there over and over again. So with all of that coming out, and you know, even though Donald Trump made the, Those tariff threats November 25, right around that time period, I think Claudia Sheinbaum saw who Donald Trump's selections were going to be. She knew that was coming. We previously reported how as soon as Donald Trump made those statements, remember the very strong response she made. She threatened retaliatory tariffs on the United States. She told the United States of America, perhaps if you spent less money on war and building weapons of war and more on dealing with comprehensive immigration reform and dealing with the synthetic drug crisis in your own country versus blowing things up internationally, you know, maybe you'd have a better immigration system than blaming your neighbor. And she also said, we will inflict equal pain on you if you try to come for us here. We don't want that. But if you come for us, you should note that there's a lot of corporations that work in Mexico, so you're going to screw American corporations as well. And one of the reasons though, and as you start to look back, and I've been doing a lot of research on this when she was so emboldened to kind of make that statement, one, that's just who she is. People know Claudia Sheinbaum. That's classic Sheinbaum right there. But also she's been building up backup plans for precisely this moment that if Trump goes in this direction, she's prepared to move closer to China. And she's not. She hasn't made statements that she's going to join the BRICS bloc or anything like that. But notice what goes down on November 18, 2024. Remember what I said at the outset of this video where she said she was not going to meet with China. That would be consistent with more of the policy of Obrador, her her predecessor. But guess what happened? She met with Xi Jinping. Here's the photo of them together. Here's another photo of them together right here. Kind of China's media services, their state run media services say the following. China and Mexico should push for all around development of bilateral relations in the new era, said President Xi Jinping on Monday while meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo on the sidelines of the 19th G20 summit leader Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum. This is from Bloomberg. Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum did not plan to meet with Xi Jinping ultimately, but you saw that they actually did meet.
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Now, one of the things I think is important, contrast Donald Trump's posts. Threatening, annexation, bullying. But now watch. As I said at the outset, I would show you the subtleties of the way international diplomacy is normally done and how it's done before. And Xi Jinping gets this look at the language he uses versus the language Donald Trump uses, right? And this is being reciprocal with the president of Mexico, Claudia Scheidbaum, right now, knowing that Donald Trump's an idiot and that Donald Trump is going to screw up important alliances. So Donald Trump's post is saying, you know, right now there are caravans from Mexico. They're bringing in the drugs we hereby demand. You know, it's bullying. Here's the language from China. Clearly, China's a much as biggest, significantly bigger economy than Mexico. I mean, China could threaten if they wanted to, tariffs on Mexico. China could do any of that. I mean, it's a big country. But here's how China approaches Mexico. President Xi Jinping met with President Claudia Sheinbaum. Right? The meeting that was not supposed to happen, that now happened. Why? Because he's trying to court them. He's trying to build alliances, unlike Donald Trump, who's trying to break the alliances of our closest friends. So he meets with Claudia Scheinman. This is the statement from President Xi. President Xi Jinping once Again congratulated President Sheinbaum on becoming the first female president of Mexico, saying that her visit to Mexico in 2013 left him with a deep and strong impression. China and Mexico have a long tradition of friendship. The two sides should continue to enhance exchanges and renew friendship, give full play to the high complementarity of the two economies and advance practical cooperation to promote the comprehensive development of bilateral relations in the new era. China and Mexico share similar views and ideas on many international issues and both advocate universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. China is willing to work with Mexico to uphold multilateralism and international fairness and justice and inject positive energy into the development of the world economy. Do you see how he's approaching it? And it's strategic. And you see how she's approaching it as well with her response to the United States. That's actual power right there. And that's one of the things I want to show you. And America wields its power under President Biden. The way I was reading it to you there, what Donald Trump is doing, as I've said before, Teddy Roosevelt had the big stick policy. Walk soft, but carry a big stick. You don't have to bludgeon people and bully people with how powerful America is. People know that you have to court these relationships and build strategic alliances. As I like to say, Donald Trump is the small stick policy, which is be loud and obnoxious and carry a very small stick or small whatever. That's how the international community views Donald Trump. This is from the Financial Times. The risk of Mexico being shut out of North America is rising. So while Sheinbaum may find some deal with Trump, with Trump, China under Xi Jinping has been keen to develop relations with Mexico. And she made, she got photographed with Xi Jinping and took that meeting for a reason. And they were not going to have that meeting before Trump was doing all of this. This is from the Hill. Mexico's growing flirtation with China poses challenges for Trump 2.0. This is from Chinese propaganda. Now Xi Jinping calls for all around development of China Mexico relations in the new era. Okay, so if you're in Mexico right now and Donald Trump is bullying you and saying horrible things about your country, whereas China's calling for all around development and positive relations in a new era. It just think about how this message is actually being received right here. So how she outmaneuvering Trump here. As I said at the outset, just think about the subtleties of her taking that meeting. Her using words like if you want to retaliate what we can retaliate too. We've got our own set of tool kits to do that. Having that photograph showing how it's done, being prepared for Trump. And you see in those photos how prepared she was and how she laid the groundwork at that G20 summit in Brazil. Well, there you have it folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe let's get to 4 million subscribers. Thanks for watching. Real quick. Metages changed their algorithm to suppress political content. Please follow our Instagram idustouch right now.
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Marketing is hard, but I'll tell you a little secret. It doesn't have to be. Let me point something out. You're listening to a podcast right now and it's great. You love the host. You seek it out and download it. You listen to it while driving, working out, cooking, even going to the bathroom. Podcasts are a pretty close companion. And this is a podcast ad. Did I get your attention? You can reach great listeners like yourself with podcast advertising from Libsyn Ads. Choose from hundreds of top podcasts offering host endorsements or run a pre produced ad like this one across thousands of shows. To reach your target audience in their favorite podcasts with Libsyn ads, go to Libsynads.com that's L I B S Y N ads.com today.
Title: The MeidasTouch Podcast Summary – "Mexico Prez OUTMANEUVERS Trump with MAJOR MEETING"
Overview
In the December 5, 2024 episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas delve into the intricate dynamics of international diplomacy, spotlighting how Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum is strategically outmaneuvering former U.S. President Donald Trump. The episode juxtaposes Trump's aggressive rhetoric and policies with China's nuanced diplomatic strategies, particularly in the context of Mexico's potential alignment with global trade blocs like BRICS.
Diplomatic Maneuvering at the G20 Summit
Brett kicks off the discussion by highlighting the significance of the recent G20 Summit held in Brazil. During this summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping sought a meeting with Mexico's newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum. Initially, there were reports suggesting that Sheinbaum would decline the meeting, maintaining Mexico's traditional alliance with the United States. However, contrary to these expectations, Sheinbaum agreed to meet Xi Jinping (02:15), signaling a potential shift in Mexico's diplomatic posture.
Mexico's Stance on BRICS and Legacy Leadership
The conversation references a pivotal statement made by Mexico’s former president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on August 9, 2023. Obrador firmly declared Mexico's disinterest in joining the BRICS bloc:
“We are not going to participate in this bloc, in this association. However, for economic, neighborhood, and geopolitical reasons, we will continue to strengthen the North American alliance and all of America.” (03:45)
This declaration underscored Mexico's commitment to its North American partnerships over alignment with the growing BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Trump's Aggressive Economic Policies vs. Sheinbaum's Resilience
With Donald Trump's ascent to the U.S. presidency, Brett discusses the immediate and aggressive economic measures Trump employed against Mexico and Canada, including a blanket 25% tariff and a staggering 100% tariff threat against BRICS countries (05:10). In response, President Sheinbaum did not back down. Instead, she issued a strong counter-threat of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, leveraging Mexico's own economic tools to safeguard national interests.
“Perhaps if you spent less money on war and building weapons of war and more on dealing with comprehensive immigration reform and dealing with the synthetic drug crisis in your own country versus blowing things up internationally, maybe you'd have a better immigration system than blaming your neighbor.” (06:00)
Sheinbaum's assertive stance not only defended Mexico's economic sovereignty but also subtly indicated openness to diversifying international alliances beyond the United States.
Strategic Engagement with China
Brett highlights the strategic significance of Sheinbaum's meeting with Xi Jinping on November 18, 2024 (07:10). Despite initial plans to decline, the meeting ultimately took place, marking a deliberate effort to strengthen Mexico-China relations. Chinese state media lauded the meeting, emphasizing the push for comprehensive bilateral development:
"China and Mexico should push for all around development of bilateral relations in the new era," said President Xi Jinping. (07:20)
This engagement underscores China's methodical approach to building alliances, contrasting sharply with Trump's more confrontational tactics.
Contrasting Leadership Styles: Trump vs. Xi
A pivotal segment of the episode contrasts Trump's "small stick" policy—characterized by loud, aggressive posturing—with Xi Jinping's "big stick" diplomacy, which emphasizes strategic partnership and mutual development.
“Donald Trump is the small stick policy, which is be loud and obnoxious and carry a very small stick or small whatever. That's how the international community views Donald Trump.” (06:50)
In contrast, Xi's approach fosters cooperative relationships and strategic alliances, enhancing China's global influence through measured and mutually beneficial engagements.
Implications for U.S.-Mexico Relations and Global Alliances
Brett discusses the broader implications of Mexico's strategic positioning between U.S. pressures and Chinese overtures. Citing The Financial Times, he notes the escalating risk of Mexico being marginalized in North American cooperation due to its growing flirtation with China:
“Mexico's growing flirtation with China poses challenges for Trump 2.0.” (07:05)
This realignment has significant ramifications for regional alliances and global trade dynamics, potentially reshaping Mexico's role on the world stage.
Conclusion
The episode concludes with Brett emphasizing the importance of subtle diplomacy and strategic alliances in contemporary geopolitics. President Claudia Sheinbaum emerges as a savvy leader adept at navigating complex international relationships, balancing pressures from the United States while exploring beneficial ties with China. This strategic maneuvering positions Mexico favorably in an evolving global landscape, demonstrating the efficacy of nuanced diplomacy over blunt coercion.
Notable Quotes
Former President López Obrador on BRICS:
“We are not going to participate in this bloc, in this association... we will continue to strengthen the North American alliance and all of America.” (03:45)
President Claudia Sheinbaum on U.S. Policies:
“Perhaps if you spent less money on war and building weapons of war... you'd have a better immigration system than blaming your neighbor.” (06:00)
President Xi Jinping on Mexico-China Relations:
“China and Mexico should push for all around development of bilateral relations in the new era.” (07:20)
Takeaways
Strategic Diplomacy: Claudia Sheinbaum's approach exemplifies effective diplomacy, balancing national interests with international relations.
Leadership Contrast: The stark differences between Trump's aggressive policies and Xi's strategic partnerships highlight varying pathways to international influence.
Global Implications: Mexico's potential alignment with China could significantly impact North American alliances and global trade structures.
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the podcast episode, providing valuable context and understanding for listeners and non-listeners alike.