Mexico

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Politics

U.S. President Donald Trump said during an interview with Fox News on Jan. 8 that the United States would soon conduct operations targeting drug cartels on Mexican soil, The Hill reported the same day.

U.S., Mexico: Trump Says U.S. Will Conduct Operations Against Mexican Cartels

Canada

Energy

London-based Harbour Energy announced in a Dec. 31 press release that it had been appointed the operator of the Zama oil field project offshore Mexico.

Mexico: Sheinbaum Administration Names Private Company Operator of Zama Oil Field

Cuba

Venezuela

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the shipment of 80,000 barrels of oil to Cuba, stating that it occurred pursuant to historic bilateral agreements and for humanitarian reasons, Efe reported Dec. 22.

Cuba: Mexico Confirms Oil Shipments Amid U.S. Blockade of Venezuela

Mexican state-run oil company Pemex has awarded five of the 11 new joint venture contracts it had planned to close by year-end, Reuters reported on Dec. 17.

Mexico: Pemex's JVs Attract Limited Private Sector Interest Under New Interventionist Framework

Colombia

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 15 in which he designated "illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals" as weapons of mass destruction, or WMD.

U.S.: Trump Designates Fentanyl, Precursors as Weapons of Mass Destruction

China

Mexico's Chamber of Deputies approved a reform to the General Import and Export Tax Law, which will impose up to 50% import tariffs on goods from countries with which Mexico does not have a free trade agreement, La Jornada reported on Dec. 10. 

Mexico: Deputies Approve Import Tax Bill Targeting Mostly Chinese Goods

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose an additional 5% tariff on Mexico if it does not immediately provide additional water to U.S. farmers, La Jornada reported on Dec. 9.

U.S., Mexico: Water Dispute To Further Fuel Tariff Uncertainty

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced she will increase the country's minimum wage by 13% in 2026, and a plan to gradually reduce the working week from 48 hours to 40 hours by 2030, El Pais reported Dec. 3.

Mexico: Sheinbaum Announces Minimum Wage Increase, Plan to Reduce Workweek

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RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2026 highlights high-impact, low-probability risks and trends from the annual forecast presented in more extreme terms.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2026

A 3D rendering of the Canadian, U.S. and Mexican flags.

The White House is expected to utilize threats of scrapping the trilateral pact in favor of bilateral agreements as a high-stakes negotiating tactic, creating a period of intense business uncertainty and market volatility.

The Outlook for USMCA Renegotiation in 2026

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A U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey takes off from Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, on Sept. 13, 2025, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. 

The Trump administration will likely expand its attacks against alleged drug traffickers in the region over the next year, potentially extending to land-based targets, which will create safety, operational and compliance challenges for organizations.

The Outlook for U.S. Strikes on Drug Traffickers in Latin America and the Caribbean

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An anti-tourism protest in June in Barcelona, Spain. Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

Anti-tourism sentiment is certain to grow in major tourist destinations, though it will be unevenly distributed globally, particularly as the tourism sector could face potential challenges in the future.

The Causes and Implications of the Rise in Anti-Tourism Sentiment

North Korea

Helicopters fly in the sky during a rehearsal for a military parade Aug. 24 in Beijing.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: An SCO Summit, Rubio Closes Security Deals With Mexico and Ecuador

Columns

On Security

DEA New York special agent in charge speaks to the press in New York City on Feb. 28, 2025, after the former leader of a brutal Mexican cartel, Rafael Caro Quintero, described by the White House as the world's ''most evil'' drug boss, pleaded not guilty to narcotics charges in New York.

Despite the political and diplomatic risks, Trump is more likely than not to launch some direct operations against Mexican cartels before he leaves office, potentially ranging from light and sporadic U.S. drone strikes to more extensive ground operations.

The Outlook for Trump's 'War' on Mexican Cartels

Cambodia

Japan

South Korea

Thailand

A Cambodian soldier stands on a truck with a rocket launcher in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand, on July 25, 2025. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. Tariff Deadline Passes, Thai-Cambodian Border Tensions Persist

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(L-R) Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina attend a plenary session of the China-CELAC ministerial meeting at the Great Hall of the People on May 13, 2025, in Beijing, China. 

Latin America and the Caribbean will welcome China's increased engagement, but strong ties to the West and China's economic slowdown will limit Beijing's influence in the region.

Despite Stronger Trade Ties, China's Influence in Latin America Will Remain Limited

Poland

Ukrainian, U.S. and Russian delegates meet for peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 16, 2025. 

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine-Russia Talks, Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Snapshots

A U.S. courthouse facade with columns in lower Manhattan, New York.

The court ruling nullifies most -- though not all -- of the Trump administration's tariffs, giving U.S. trading partners temporary breathing room in negotiations while the White House searches for alternative trade measures.

The White House's Tariff Ambitions Bend -- But Do Not Break -- Under the Weight of a Court Ruling

Members of the National Association of Magistrates and District Judges hold a massive Mexican flag during a protest in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sept. 11, 2024, after Mexico's Senate approved controversial judicial reforms. 

The likely strong performance of candidates aligned with the ruling Morena party will undermine checks and balances and create regulatory uncertainty for businesses over the long term.

What's at Stake in Mexico's First-Ever Judicial Elections

Trucks travel by the U.S.-Mexico border after crossing the border into the United States at Otay Mesa, California, on April 2, 2025. 

Although U.S. tariffs will hurt Mexico's economy in the short term, they may eventually grant Mexico a competitive advantage over countries that face even higher duties.

The Buffers That Will Help Mexico Navigate Tariff Turbulence

Mexico is defined by dramatic geographic features that have shaped the country's politics. Forming the southern portion of North America, Mexico borders the tropical Central American isthmus, a broad band that defines Mexico's northern border with the United States. To the east and west, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental dominate the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts, forming highlands that cradle of the modern heart of Mexico. The desolate Baja California peninsula shields approaches from the western sea. To the east, the tropical limestone outcropping named the Yucatán peninsula dominates entry from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico's central valley, which includes Mexico City and the adjacent Veracruz region, form Mexico's core.     To control Mexico City is to control Mexico, and the greatest conventional threats to Mexico City have traditionally come from the deepwater Port city of Veracruz. Since the 16th century, Spain, France and the United States &mdash; not to mention numerous mutinous factions of the Mexican military &mdash; have used Veracruz to threaten and even conquer what is now Mexico City. Mexico's mountains and frontier territories are traditional hotbeds of unrest. From the rebels of Chihuahua to the drug kingpins of Tierra Caliente and Sinaloa, the historical and ongoing challenge for Mexico is to subdue and incorporate far-flung, geographically-isolated communities. The modern expression of this struggle can be seen in today's war with drug trafficking organizations, but it is a pattern that has been repeated throughout history and has been shaped by Mexico's physical geography. 

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., Mexico: Trump Says U.S. Will Conduct Operations Against Mexican Cartels

Mexico: Sheinbaum Administration Names Private Company Operator of Zama Oil Field

Cuba: Mexico Confirms Oil Shipments Amid U.S. Blockade of Venezuela

Mexico: Pemex's JVs Attract Limited Private Sector Interest Under New Interventionist Framework

U.S.: Trump Designates Fentanyl, Precursors as Weapons of Mass Destruction

Mexico: Deputies Approve Import Tax Bill Targeting Mostly Chinese Goods

U.S., Mexico: Water Dispute To Further Fuel Tariff Uncertainty

Mexico: Sheinbaum Announces Minimum Wage Increase, Plan to Reduce Workweek

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