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- [00:00]
A
You're listening to the Monocle Daily, first broadcast on 19th February 2026 on Monocle Radio. The Board of Peace meets. What will it do? The Prime Minister of Qatar takes a trip to Venezuela. And if you had to pick an Olympic team, who would you compete for? I'm Emma Nelson and the Monocle Daily starts. Hello there. And a very warm welcome to the Monocle Daily coming to you live from our studios here at Midori House in London. I'm Emma Nelson and I'll be joined by my guests Yossi Meckelburg and Isabelle Hilton to discuss the day's big stories. And we'll hear from the Mexican figure skater Donovan Carrillo as well. That's all coming up right here on the Monocle Daily. Hello, everybody. We're going to be talking about food straight away because I have Yossi Meckelburg, senior consulting Fellow at the Middle east and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, and Isabel Hilton, founder of China Dialogue and visiting professor at King's College London, around the table. And since they have seen each other, we have talked non stop about nice things to eat. Good evening to you both. And this is all prompted by the fact that you're on a Chinese banquet fest.
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B
Chinese banquet binge. Yes. It's been the year of the Fire Horse and I'm, I've just. Well, I've just had the third of four.
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A
Wow.
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B
Chinese New Year banquets for those of
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A
us who haven't had the privilege of even having one. What, what is involved in a Fire Horse New Year Chinese banquet?
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B
A lot of food.
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A
I can see a conveyor belt. Yep.
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B
Yeah, Huge amounts of food. I mean, one of them, when at, at the embassy, they flew in seven chefs from China who all came and took a bow at the beginning and the end and each course was announced very, very vigorously and explained.
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A
How wonderful.
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B
Yeah, it was pretty impressive.
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A
It's good to learn as you eat.
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B
Indeed.
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A
Every day is a school day and
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B
it was very sort of regionally focused. It was a particular region in central China, so we were, you know, given the benefit of education on that region's cuisine.
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A
Did he get a map?
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B
I think we sort of knew where it was.
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A
And the other places that you went to?
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B
One at the Dorchester. Dorchester, which was different but very, very good food.
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A
What was on that menu?
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B
Oh, gosh. Again, it was sort of Chinese style food, but not served. Neither was served in the way that a Chinese meal is normally served with lots of dishes together and you end with a soup. I think it may be to do with the numbers or the formality. But they came rather sort of. They came one after the other. So, you know, it was a long meal.
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A
Like a British dinner.
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B
Rather like British dinner, except with 10 courses rather than three. So it was. Yeah, right.
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A
So did you know what you were signing up for for the 10 courses before you start? Because the temptation is to overeat and then the stuff keeps coming.
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B
Absolutely.
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A
And you know, when the soup's turned up that you know, we're done.
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B
We're done. Yes. Except that unusually in one of them, they serve the soup third. So that was very confusing. And yeah, it's been. It's been a bit of an adventure.
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A
The rituals, the habits, the thing. And when they throw you with a third course of soup. Whoa, that's mean. How about you, Yossi? Where have you. You have you had three for Chinese banquets? I'm so jealous.
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C
No, I can't really compete with, you know, I don't equal this kind of feast. Actually, you know, recently I've been twice to. In Indian restaurants. One last week, we have a local one in. In Wimbledon, which was, you know, nice to go on a birthday occasion, this one. It's really nice. Not as many.
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B
Not as many courses.
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C
Actually. It's reminded. I was last year in Hiroshima for a conference on nuclear.
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B
Of course.
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C
Yeah. As one go. And the governor of Hiroshima hosted us in a beautif Japanese restaurant there. And it was very similar. I stopped counting the corsets at one point or another, but everything was so delicious in the conversation. I think it creates the environment when you don't have like big dishes but you have small one. And the opportunity to have a conversation in between makes the occasion very different.
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A
I love that. And when the food comes and you don't know what it is and you are forced to talk to your neighbor about what you are eating and sharing and the whole thing instead of getting your plate of whatever it is. That idea of communal eating is so important, isn't it?
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C
And food played a very important role in diplomacy for many, many years. Very, very good food and hospitality. Many treaties were signed, including in the Congress of Vienna, which knows how the French actually changed the course of negotiation.
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B
They catered their way through.
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A
Yes, there was that story. I'm not. If you know this thing, I do apologize because this has literally landed in my head. The story of that Jacques Chirac, who was asked what his favorite food was and he bitterly regretted the fact that he said lamb because it went. Meant that every dinner that he ever went to, they thought, well, Monsieur Chirac likes lamb and that is what he got. And, you know, it is a, dare I say, quite an elite problem that not everybody will suffer from. But it is one of those things that if you, if you have to do formal dining, do you have to have the digestion of a fire horse? How's your digestion?
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B
Yeah, I think you have to. I mean, eating for Britain is a thing. I think I very much. One of the qualities I admire in the British diplomatic corps is the capacity, capacity to just go out and eat quite a lot.
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A
Wider trousers will be bought next week. Not by you, Isabella. Look, we need to talk about a big event that's happened in the United Kingdom. The British King's brother, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew was arrested at 8 o' clock this morning at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, a royal estate. We have an active case in front of us, so we have to be incredibly careful about what we can and we cannot say. But this is a huge development in an. In a. In a story that, you know, it began with an interview with Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on Newsnight several years ago now. And we are now at a huge moment, aren't we? Who would like to start off with this one?
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B
I think it's an extraordinary moment. I don't think we've seen the arrest of a member of the Royal family since Charles I, and that, as we know, ended badly. It's also his birthday today, so, you know, it's pretty pointed to arrest him today of all days. And I think it's delivered a rather salutary shock to the nation of a rather good kind. I think that, you know, if this. This damaging stuff had gone rumbling on and there had been no repercussions, no movement from justice or from the police, given what has been exposed, I think it would have been pretty damaging for the monarchy. So the monarchy, I think, is actually behaving rather as it should on this occasion. The King has said that justice must take its course. No one is above the law. And, you know, whilst, of course, that's a given, it's not a bad thing to say it.
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A
And those who are churlish will say, well, at least he won't be sweating in prison tonight. But the idea of Prince Andrew having to spend his birth. No, we're not. We don't even say Prince Andrew anymore because he is now a common citizen. That interesting dynamic, though, that the rest of the world sees, Isabel saying this being a good thing for the United Kingdom, insofar as justice is being seen to be done. But that idea of the soft power of the United Kingdom is nonetheless, it's massively in the spotlight, isn't it, Yossi?
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C
I think first, the fact that it's been died on for so long, as you said 2019, but even before that, that's the interview that attracted so many viewers. But this story goes for a very long time. And for again, he was not arrested with anything to do with the Epstein affairs as such, but for divulging secret secrets, state secrets. So this is different. But all the idea that, you know, they say that justice delayed is justice denied. And you have so many people, you know, young women who were young at the time that we know were exploited, trafficked, and, you know, there is, with the exception of Epstein that was arrested, no one. And Maxwell, there's so many people were involved then and there is no justice. So I think this is important. But from the UK Point of view, I think there is two points. A, no one is above the law, even if they belong to the royal family, because we see in other countries that there are some people that are above the law or try to put themselves above the law. We saw, for instance, what happened in the United States. The media that Trump was elected, they suspended some of his trials. So this can happen.
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B
He also pardoned a lot of people who'd already been sent to jail.
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C
Yeah. And he pardoned, including January 6th.
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B
Indeed, the Patriots of January 6th.
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C
Yes. So I think this is important. I think from a constitutional point of view, it can lead for a real crisis constitutionally, if something like this happened. Also because you ask yourself how many people knew about his behavior for so many years and preferred to or chose to keep quiet about something like this. So I think it's not only him that need to be investigated. It needs to go further than that.
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A
Okay, let us move on. I mean, you mentioned the fact that Donald Trump decided to slightly change the course of justice a moment ago. Well, he's been launching his Board of Peace today, changing the course of wars. By all accounts. He said that he'd actually stopped eight wars, though no one is 100% sure which ones they are, but we'll bear with him. So the Board of Peace has begun. His rival to the UN has come together in Washington. It was announced that member states will chip in for a security force plus pay $5 billion each. I'm not entirely sure whether that's a correct assumption to redevelop Gaza. It was a big day today for the, the reshaping of the way that we create peace. Yossi, let's bring you in here. Because the purpose of the Board of Peace originally was to help with the rebuilding of a post conflict Gaza. Where are we now compared with that?
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C
It first and foremost changed the course of the Board of Peace because it started from one thing and it ends as alternative to the UN or at least arrival the un. So again there are so many photo opportunities and so little substance and people, you know, throwing in there 5 billions and you have to be a member like it's a club, you know, you have to pay 1 billion to be a member of this club. You, you know, the more conservative estimate of rebuilding Gaza is around 70 billion and probably it will cost much more when they will start the work itself. We know how this kind of project go. But already six months nearly after the ceasefire was agreed, not much has been done on this.
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A
No, because we still don't have an end to attacks in Gaza and Hamas has not agreed to disarm.
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C
Yeah. And where is the peace? Either peacekeeping or peace enforcement? The isf, this is not there. So again, another declaration that many countries committed to send soldiers, but we don't have one. What's going to be the mandate of this peacekeeping again? Or reinforcement? Is this Chapter 7 of the UN or not? Time goes on and the people in Gaza living in appalling conditions. 600 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire was agreed. Time is of the essence and what we will see is another ceremony, self congratulatory ceremony about how great is everything but where do we go from here? When actually is there a timeline? Yes, Hamas to disarm is timeline for Israel to withdraw because it's occupying more than 50% of Gaza. The reconstruction of election in Palestine, you know, long, long list of things that needs to be done beyond ceremonies.
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A
What's interesting about what you've just said, Yossi, is that Donald Trump likes to say that he's a man who gets things done. But what you have described there is something which is inaction. But it begs the broader question, doesn't it Isabel, that this is not a conventional way of fostering peace.
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B
No, it's not. And even if that money goes into the reconstruction of Gaza, given that there are no Palestinians represented at any point in this, you whom is this reconstruction to take place? Is it for the people who are currently living in tents? What's going to happen in the west bank where the Israeli encroachment continues? And you look at this bizarre body where Denmark was not Invited? The European Union was invited. Most of the member states were invited, but declined. No country from sub Saharan Africa was invited. And yet it's kind of.
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C
And Canada was uninvited.
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B
And Canada was disinvited for being rude.
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A
Does it matter who's on the board as long as they get the job done? When we are looking at an age now when diplomacy without diplomats is becoming a very common occurrence.
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B
Well, it matters in that, you know, this question of what is the mandate, for example, for the peacekeeping force, you know, under what, you know, what's their legal status, under what authority? Now, the United nations has basically said, yes, you can organize a peacekeeping force, but if you look at the same time that the United States is defunding the United nations, and the United nations is beginning to enter a crisis, it means that as if this, yes, it might work in the narrow sense, I sort of doubt it. We haven't, as Yoshi says, we haven't seen much evidence of it being effective. Even if there is a stabilization in Gaza, the aspirations of this body, at least of Trump, who is apparently president, for life of this body to go on undermining the United nations is quite serious because you've got, you know, you have, as I say, no representation from 50, 60 countries. So what is it and on whose behalf is it acting and what's its legitimacy?
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A
And we are looking, aren't we, Yossi, at Donald Trump using his speech to, to talk about his. Well, to reiterate a call for Iran to make a deal with him on his nuclear program. Otherwise, and I'm quoting here, bad things will happen. That is not necessarily a terribly peaceful thing to say.
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C
Yes. So he moves between the men of peace that solve already allegedly eight wars, which mainly are ceasefires at best. Definitely not peace. But we saw, and we'll talk later about Venezuela. This is not exactly a peaceful way to deal with another, another country threatening Cuba, but at the same time, you know, with Iran Instead, the next 10 days will be decisive. Either there is an agreement or as you say, something bad, which we know, something bad. When you go to air carrier, one of the biggest in the United States has Ford, USS Ford. Now, the question, he put himself now in a corner. So he thinks that he plays hardball with the Iranian and tells them, listen, either you do exactly zero enrichment, no ballistic missiles, you don't support proxies, or face the consequences. But he doesn't leave himself enough diplomatic room to maneuver. If they say no, when you say, I have 10 days to resolve it, and this goes back to the point of having diplomacy without diplomats. It's all about threats. It's all about bravado. It's posturing. It's a very mature way to deal with diplomacy. Now, you said 10 days. Now you start counting it. And if the Iranians say no, what you're going to do then?
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A
The time here In London is 16 minutes past 6 in the evening. You're listening to the Monocle Daily with me. Emma Nelson. Isabel Hilton and Yossi Meckelburg are around the microphone. And Yossi, you mentioned what's happened in Venezuela. Indeed, the whole of this project will, the whole of this program will be stitched through with the, the influence in various forms of the United States. So let's see what's happening in Venezuela. Two visitors were in town in Caracas. The US Military are back, but not to seize the president this time. But also perhaps as a sign of stability, the Qatari prime Minister was in town to see the new president, Delsey Rodriguez. Let's bring you in on this one, Isabelle. This idea that the Qatari pm, the prime Minister, adds legitimacy to the new administration, what would you make of that?
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B
Well, I think that's fair enough. I mean, the new administration has the stamp of approval of Washington, bizarrely given that it's basically the same administration with a different face. But also bear in mind that because of sanctions over the past several years, there has been very little diplomatic activity involving Caracas. Nobody went. We have a kind of big drama over oil movements. And so, you know, that does need to be talked about. So I guess this is, you know, this is the shape of the new Venezuelan kind of international situation. Its domestic situation is still very, very unclear. You know, there's some move to release political prisoners, but it's unclear which political prisoners will be released. It's unclear whether once released they'll be able to stand in elections or indeed if there'll be elections. I doubt there will be any pressure from Washington to, you know, legitimize the, the mandate domestically. So it's, it's still a bit of a mess. And you know, in a sense, I think it's, it's the dog that hasn't barked yet. But I, I, I think it, it, we, it may well you speak of,
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A
you know, legitimizing things. One wonders whether the United States, Yossi, and, and the fact that it went in and hooked out Nicolas Maduro and then obviously allowed things just to sort of of bubble on as they, they are doing now. Not only is it when we got the Qatari prime Minister It's a sign that everything has been legitimized. Now we now have international diplomatic relations with the newest administration. But does the United States presence, albeit in the background in, in Venezuela now open the doors to other countries that will do business with Venezuela, that it will suddenly become a completely different country in terms of its international position?
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C
It will change. But there was a way, assuming that they went with an idea of regime change and what they do is regime management because they didn't change the regime, they just selected the vice president. So what's the change? Because they'll complain that this is a regime that was trafficking, you know, drug traffickers and the rest. But there was an elected, you know, only recently because the American complaints that there were election and there was someone else that elected legitimately. But why didn't they put him in place or at least allow the Venezuela. No, because they want exactly who they want there in order to control the government in Venezuela, then one of the first things that the government is doing is privatizing the oil industry. And who is going to win, you think all the contracts Venezuela can't imagine? This is a really difficult question. I mean, who would.
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A
There is that thing though that apparently the American private oil companies are saying it's actually too hard to manage. And there is a sort of sense of cold feet.
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B
Yes, I don't think they were terribly enthusiastic. They were told by the United States government that they had to get involved. And there was a lot of from the oil companies themselves.
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C
It gives it time. You stabilize the situation there. And as you know, there is a history of the United States in this part of the world of installing exactly the people go back to Guatemala in 1951 and Arbenz Guzman trying to topple Fidel Castro Allende in Chile, you know, and then followed by Pinochet, the Sandinistas, you know, it's not that we are surprised. It's back not only to the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, but it's the Cold War approach to Latin America that we want in complete control and everything, but without the ideology. Without the ideology.
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A
So when do we add Cuba to that list?
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C
Well, we see negotiation, at least alleged negotiation in different tracks. Actually it's interesting with actually the Castro family, either Raul Castro son or his grandson, on different tracks. So. So the question do they want really regime change or once again, what they are looking is regime management. Let's cut a deal with Cuba. But it's way more complicated than Venezuela because if they do something like this in Cuba, they will upset The Cubans in the United States, because it's the one thing you don't have, this community of Venezuela in the United States that feels so strongly about what happened in Venezuela as much as in Cuba since 1959 and since Florida is so important to win election in the United States, I think it will be more difficult to do that. But maybe the only way to do that. Just to say that I think any effort to change regime like this is wrong.
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A
Do we think that Donald Trump has actually thought about what you've just said?
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C
Pass. No, I don't.
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A
Someone else will have done.
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B
Rubio will certainly.
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C
Yes, actually suggested. Someone suggested on social media Rubio will become the president of Cuba. I don't know if you saw that. And Trump added it's a good idea. And Rubio was the first. No, I'm not interested in becoming.
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B
So I mean, I agree that it is a different case, but what they have in common is that both Venezuela and Cuba were nationalist revolutions which kicked out the Americans and essentially nationalized the assets. And, and in Venezuela, what you're seeing is the kind of re. Privatization. It's handing back the goodies to the United States. It's not about the ideology. If they could get to that kind of access for the exiled Cubans in Cuba, you know, the Miami Cubans getting back into their business interests in Cuba even after what, 60 years, 70 years, is it 59. So yeah, but the difference, it's different, but I think that would still be a plus for Miami.
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C
But the difference in Cuba, the main resource is the human resource. Indeed, the biggest export is doctors, medical staff.
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B
Yeah.
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C
And then you have.
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B
Well, it used to be tourism and gambling. I think before the revolution, that was what kept the economy.
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C
Just imagine, you know, that the Mayor Lansky's of this world will come back to Cuba. Not a great prospect.
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A
Well, as we said, US influence has dominated today's show. We started off with with the efforts to become the world's peace broker. We've just talked about the way it's a driver of regime change in Latin America. But let's talk about a third method. Reuters news agency is reporting that the U.S. state Department has developed an online method that allows people to see content banned by their domestic government. The portal will be hosted at the website freedom.gov China expert Isabel Hilton. What do we make of this?
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B
Well, first you have to get to freedom.gov, and you can do that via using your VPN in China until your VPN is banned. So, you know, I think it would be still Quite. It would still be quite difficult in China, particularly since they've advertised it. You know that anyone who does access it from inside China would quickly find their account suspended. It may well work elsewhere, but it seems that actually this is being targeted at Europe. You know, the well known oppressive censorship, terrible people, liberal democracies, terrible people, sit
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A
down at good times for dinner and discuss things and have democracy. It's shocking.
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B
Yeah. And so the definition of censorship which seems to be embedded in this particular project is the censorship of the far right in Germany, for example, you know, and so the freedom to express neo Nazi sentiments seems to be what this is in defense of.
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A
Where is the driver for this? I mean, who will have had this idea, Yossi, to actually make it about. Just as Isabelle said, this is not about the governments of the great autocrats or the great oppressors, but this could be the democracies who dare we say it, manage freedom of speech delicately and carefully, but nonetheless allow space for everybody.
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C
I think this in the United States where ideology meets money is between the ideology, their idea of freedom of speech and as you say, you know, luckily we are sitting in an underground now studio and we are allowed to say what we want. We are not censored, we're on the radio. The rest people of Europe that are not allowed to say what we want,
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B
please don't tell anyone.
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C
Yeah, it's completely secret, but you know, their idea, and this goes back to JD Van's speech in the Munich Security exactly a year ago that we are censored. But the idea of the First Amendment and freedom of speech, that you can spread, you know, the most extreme ideas, you can burn holy books, you can insult her and this is completely acceptable, you know, racial hatred and we think differently here and well, humbly I will say rightly so that this is not freedom of speech. This is something completely, completely different. And what they try a by doing that some people will make money because it's helpful this kind of tech entrepreneurs at the same time with the ideology that's actually spreading this type of freedom of speech, which actually we see especially with social media, undermines democracies.
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A
Finally, for the panel at least it is tricky, isn't it, when you're an Olympian athlete and the freestyle skier Eileen Gu in particular to pick your team. Eileen is American born, raised and educated, but she has in the past competed using well under the Chinese flag. Her mother is Chinese and everybody's got rather cross about it, including J.D. vance. Isabelle, this wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't the world's most decorated female Olympic skier.
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B
Would it? Well, quite, yes. If she. If she sort of fell at the first fence, as it were, I think think people wouldn't care so much. But interestingly enough, I mean, there are, of course, there are two athletes in this argument, and one of them is the daughter. Alyssa Lowe is the daughter of a man who had to flee China after the Tiananmen massacre in 1989. So they embody the notion of freedom, of coming to the United States. They probably wouldn't get in these days, but, you know, in those days, they could come to the United States and make a new life and embody the idea of American freedom.
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A
And reject the Chinese one.
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B
And reject the Chinese one. Absolutely. Whereas Ms. Gu has taken another route for the Chinese government. They're both Chinese because if you're ethnically Chinese, you never stop being Chinese. But they do have. At least Ms. Gu has dual nationality, which neither country recognizes. So it's all about bit. Bit of a muddle, but fantastic propaganda for both sides.
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A
Indeed. I mean, who wins this one?
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B
Oh, nobody wins this one. It's just playing to the gallery. You know, the Chinese have made a heroine out of. Out of Ms. Goo, and the Americans made a heroine out of Ms. Liu, so.
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A
And indeed. And J.D. vance has weighed it in with the Eileen Goo story as well.
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B
Indeed.
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A
He's not happy about this.
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C
He's not happy that his wife is not Christian. You know, J.D. vance. I mean, that's what.
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B
He's a man born to be unhappy.
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C
Yeah, he's unhappy. And everything that is. Doesn't look exactly like him makes him. So he needs to deal with his unhappiness. I think this, at the end of the day, if people choose to represent, if they dual nationality or come from different heritage, we sit in the UK with many footballers that decide to play for different countries with, you know, parental heritage, and it doesn't undermine the country. But when you enter in this nationalistic discourse, everything is a treason. Everything undermines the country.
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A
All right, so we throw you both under the bus. Now, if you were to. If you were a. Is either of you a citizen of more than one country?
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B
Yes.
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A
Both of you? Right, okay. Who do you play for?
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B
Isabelle. On the cricket test? Yes.
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A
Well, what are your passports and who are we playing for?
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B
Well, after Brexit, I decided metaphorically to disinter my Irish grandfather. So I have an Irish passport. I rejoined the European Union, so I would play for.
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A
So you play for Europe? Not really allowed to do that, but we'll take It.
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B
Well, I'll play for Ireland.
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A
Play for Ireland. How about you, Yossi? Whose passports do you hold?
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C
British and Israeli. But I have an alternative answer here.
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A
Right.
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C
I hope one day there is peace between Israel and Palestine and there is an Israeli Palestinian confederation and they will choose to have in one sport a joint team to play in something.
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A
They have an orchestra.
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B
They did. Music.
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C
Yes, music.
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A
This is the east west event.
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C
Yeah, of course. Daniel Beer and Boyman Edward Said together.
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A
Yeah. It was amazing. And they still go. It's incredible. We'll leave it there on that wonderfully peaceful note. Isabella Hilton and Yossi Meckelberg, thank you so much for joining me in the studio. Finally, let's talk about Mexico. It's competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a delegation consisting of five athletes competing in three sports or the figure skater. Donovan Carrillo was the country's flag bearer during the opening. Cerem and Monocle's Tom Webb caught up with him ahead of his event to find out what it's like being one of a few Latin American athletes.
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D
The sport I do is figure skating, and I'm the only Latin American in this event.
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E
And how does that feel?
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D
It feels great. It's a huge honor, but also a responsibility. I'm very proud to represent not just my country, but the whole continent of America. Do you.
- [31:34]
E
Do you have the support of the whole continent? Is it beyond Mexico?
- [31:37]
D
I think so, yeah. I've been receiving a lot of messages of support from different countries and skaters from all over Latin America, like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica. And that just inspires me and motivates me to do my very best.
- [31:56]
E
So why do you think it is that you are the only one?
- [31:59]
D
It's a big challenge to practice the winter sports, at least figure skating, because of the conditions you need to practice the sport. We have really good skaters. I just feel the potential is there. Hopefully in the future we'll have access to more ice rinks that will allow us to grow and improve and be more competitive every year.
- [32:21]
E
So who were your inspirations if there weren't any from your region?
- [32:26]
D
Well, we don't have many references on the figure skating world. I had mine from the outside, different sports like divers, gymnasts. I grew up practicing diving and gymnastics when I was little. So I remember watching TV and seeing the Olympics. Friends like Herman Sanchez, Alejandro Orozco, Ivan Garcia, Romel Pacheco. There are very famous divers from Mexico. And I was just inspired. And I would remember as soon as I was back in the training, remembering all those memories of them in tv, competing and trying to apply all that inspiration in my training. So I feel very honored to now be on the other side, be on the screen, trying to inspirate my country, to fight for their dreams and to accomplish their personal goal.
- [33:20]
E
And eventually you were drawn to figure skating over diving and other sports. What was it about figure skating you fell in love with?
- [33:27]
D
I feel I picked figure skating over diving and gymnastics because it was more me. I feel. Of course, diving and gymnastics had the complexity with all the backflips and all the stuff we have to do, all the jumps. But with the figure skating, we have also the contrast of the artistry and the performance, the musicality and choreography, and that's something that really allows me to express myself and my emotions. So I feel that was a perfect match for me. Not just the technical, but also the artistry.
- [34:02]
E
And how do you see that crossover art, culture, and sport, how does it all work together?
- [34:09]
D
In my case, I feel more inspired. I feel art gives me a little extra, you know, when you just focus on the technique, I feel it's a little bit more stressful. So art, in my case, it's like decompress. It's more about the feeling, the joy, the emotions. Sometimes you feel sad, and you have to go to the ring and trying to use that emotion and express it. You know, when I'm moving, so it's work in progress and it's a movement, but I feel that's the difference.
- [34:44]
E
And how does Mexico, how does the culture of Latin America enter your performance?
- [34:51]
D
I always try to bring my proudness of being Mexican with different things. Sometimes it's the music, sometimes the costume. And I have skated to Latino artists, Mexican artists in the past, and that brings me something extra. And I also feel I promote my country to the world, to the figure skating, the artists that I admire. And I feel people, in a way, expect me to do something. And, yeah, I'm honestly always proud to represent my country with the culture and the musicality that we have.
- [35:26]
E
And lastly, final question. The opening ceremony must have been an amazing moment for you. What's your reaction?
- [35:34]
D
Well, before going on the stage, my heartbeat was going so fast, but I was just so excited to be the flag barrier for the second time. I also got super excited. I moved the flag like, I think no one moved it that fast, and I was so hyped. I had a great moment. I had a great moment, for sure. It was something magical, and it's something that only the Olympics could bring, and that's the emotion. Many people have asked me, how did you feel? It's just an Olympic emotion, you know, it's hard to describe. You have to experience yourself to know what I'm talking about. But of course, it's one of those moments that will stay in my heart and my memories forever.
- [36:16]
E
And you had a huge cheer and we cheer you on. Wish you all the best.
- [36:20]
D
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
- [36:22]
E
Thank you.
- [36:23]
A
That was a Mexican figure skater, Donovan Carrillo, bringing absolute joy to that interview with Monocle's Tom Webb. And our Olympic show, Monocle in Milan is back one more time tomorrow morning at 9am here in London. But 10am if you're tuning in Milan, wherever, you get your podcasts at a later date as well. But that's all the time we have for today's edition of the Monocle Daily. A very big thank you to my panelists, Yossi Meckelburg and Isabel Hilton. Today's show was produced by Chris Chermack and researched by Anneliese Maynard. And our sound engineer was Mariella Bevan. I'm Emma Nelson here in London. The Monocle Daily's back at the same time tomorrow. Join me for that if you can.
- [36:59]
B
Goodbye.
- [36:59]
A
Thank you very much for listening.