I'm John Batchew with my good colleague Evan Ellis, Professor Evan Ellis of the U.S. Army War College.

This is a New World Report, and our last broadcast together in the calendar year, 24, looking to 2025, for success and worry. I'm going to choose one state first professor. That's Mexico.

Why? Because the violence is unacceptable. I'm not going to expand from there. I understand

trade. I understand cross-border issues. I understand migration. I understand all that. But the violence,

Professor, it's not worthy of a modern state. It's savage. We now have a drug lord who's being

given from the U.S. into Mexico. And my first thought when I read the item was, I wonder if they'll let him go.

It's unacceptable what goes on in Mexico.

And I puzzle why the U.S. continues to tolerate it.

We're ready to challenge them on immigration.

We're ready to challenge Mexico City on finances.

But why not the violence?

Well, John, as you point out, the deportation of Osir Khadonos of the Gulf Clan is a reminder of the continuing problems with violence and drugs that exists in Mexico.

And certainly as we look to the coming year, we can anticipate that even as President of Elect Trump is already threatened to impose

significant tariffs on Mexico, if it doesn't get the immigration and drug flows under control.

You have a series of other issues with respect to China's increased investments

in Mexico as well, and some of the concern that that's providing a backdoor for Chinese

products to get into the United States under the USMCA agreement, as well as a number of other

frustrations with very, very important relationship. I think clearly as we look

towards the coming year, you know, in addition to the, where the U.S.-Mexico relationship goes,

given how vital our economies and geographies are intertwined, you know, by trade, by USMCA,

by security issues, by migration, there are questions of whether we'll continue to see the consolidation of dictatorships

in places like Venezuela or Nicaragua or whether the pushback with President Trump and

...