On Aug. 1, Mexico will hold its first national referendum, understood by many as a vote on whether to put past presidents on trial. Some have questioned the need for such a referendum and the messages it sends. But despite calling for the vote, the president “wants the referendum to fail,” says political analyst Denise Dresser, who spoke about the president’s motivations for the referendum and the problems – from COVID to crime – it may distract from. Guests:- Denise Dresser is a political analyst, writer, activist and professor at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. - Brian Winter is AQ’s editor-in-chief.Supplemental reading: "Mexico’s Farcical Referendum," by Denise Dresser.(https://americasquarterly.org/article/mexicos-farcical-referendum/)