Are Mexican Presidents Pawns of the CIA?

For decades, rumors and conspiracy theories have circulated about clandestine ties between multiple Mexican presidents and the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These whispers persisted through different eras of Mexican politics, often dismissed as speculation or politically motivated slander. Yet, declassified U.S. government documents, memoirs from former intelligence officers, and oral histories have begun to paint a far more nuanced picture. It now appears that at least several Mexican presidents—and key officials who later rose to the presidency—maintained secretive, often cooperative relationships with the CIA. These relationships helped shape policy decisions, influenced economic reforms, and even colored how Mexico navigated major historical events like student uprisings and the Cold War’s ideological battles.

Before delving into individual leaders and their code names—such as LITEMPO and LITENSOR—one must first understand why Mexico, and by extension its leaders, held such strategic importance for U.S. intelligence operations. The reasons extend well beyond mere geographic convenience.

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