Are Mexican Presidents Simply Pawns of the CIA

6 Mexican presidents with CIA ties

Over the years, there have been persistent claims and conspiracy theories suggesting that multiple Mexican presidents had ties to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Now declassified documents from the (CIA) have brought to light a series of surprising revelations, shedding light on the intricate ties between the agency and Mexico's former presidents.
Before I list their names and face - I want to tell why Mexico and its leaders were important to the US….

1. Proximity to the United States: Mexico shares a substantial border with the United States, which has historically been a major global power. This close proximity made Mexico an ideal location for spies from different countries to establish bases and conduct surveillance on each other. The potential for gathering information on the U.S. and its activities was a significant draw for intelligence agencies.

2. Geopolitical Significance: Mexico's geopolitical position in Latin America made it a critical country for monitoring regional developments and activities. Its proximity to Central and South American countries provided an opportunity for intelligence agencies to keep a close watch on political, economic, and security matters throughout the region.

3. Soviet Espionage Center: The Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in Mexico played a pivotal role as a Russian spy center for Latin America. As Mexico was a regional hub, the Soviet intelligence apparatus utilized the country as a base for monitoring and influencing activities in neighboring nations.

José López Portillo (1976-1982):

According to a recently declassified document by the US National Archives Administration, former Mexican President José López Portillo, who served from 1976 to 1982, had ties to the CIA, the US intelligence agency. The revelation sheds new light on Mexico's political history and raises questions about potential foreign involvement in the country's governance.

López Portillo, an active member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the oldest political party in Mexico, held significant power during his time in office. The discovery of his association with the CIA adds a layer of complexity to the dynamics of Mexican politics and prompts further examination of the country's.
Its not known to what extent he was involved, but there are records of multiple wiretaps and communications between the CIA.
past.https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/release2023

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (1964-1970), and Luis Echeverría (1970-1976 - Codenames LITEMPO-2 and LITEMPO-8

Adolfo López Mateos (1958-1964): Codename LITENSOR

Luis Echeverría Álvarez, who, during his tenure as Mexican Secretary of the Interior from 1963 to 1969, maintained a hidden and privileged communication channel with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These relationship spanned the administrations of two other Mexican presidents, Adolfo López Mateos and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.

Echeverría's ties with the CIA were the strongest during his time as Secretary of the Interior, but once he achieved presidency, the connection started to wane. Interestingly, the roots of this relationship can be traced back to his predecessor, Díaz Ordaz, who established the link with the US while serving as López Mateos' Secretary of the Interior from 1958 to 1963. Díaz Ordaz had direct communication with Winston Scott, the head of the CIA station in Mexico, enabling him to withhold crucial information about the Tlatelolco massacre in 1968 from American investigators.

This information was revealed in 2 interviews with a former CIA agent, Philip Agee, conducted in February 2002 in Cuba. Agee, stationed in Mexico between July 1966 and the end of 1968, shared that his missions in Mexico included penetrating the organization of the Olympic Games, which took place in Mexico City merely 10 days after the tragic student massacre in Tlatelolco, along with being tasked with recruiting Mexicans and foreigners as sources for US intelligence.

According to Agee, the CIA faced challenges in acquiring accurate information about the Tlatelolco incident, as there seemed to be a concerted effort to conceal the truth. The relationship between the CIA and Mexican officials, from Díaz Ordaz downwards, was built on respect, with the CIA often left with no choice but to request information and hope for cooperation from the Mexican side.

As Díaz Ordaz assumed the presidency from 1964 to 1970, he carried forward the tradition of maintaining contact with Winston Scott, a practice he had honed during his tenure as Secretary of the Interior under López Mateos. Echeverría, who succeeded Díaz Ordaz as Secretary of the Interior, continued this mechanism of contact, allowing for joint CIA operations with the now-defunct Federal Directorate of Security (DFS).

During this time, the CIA discovered that Díaz Ordaz had formed a decision-making trio to handle Mexico's internal situation. This trio included Echeverría, as Secretary of the Interior, and General Marcelino García Barragán, then Secretary of Defense. While the highest level of contact was with the President, the priority liaison with Díaz Ordaz was the head of the CIA station, Winston Scott, rather than the ambassador, deviating from the usual diplomatic norms.

During López Mateos' presidency, Mexico experienced significant economic growth and implemented various social reforms. He focused on national development and strengthening Mexico's position on the international stage. While the US and Mexico had diplomatic relations during his tenure

The code letters LI were the code used by the CIA to classify operations in Mexico; while TEMPO was the term given by Scott to the program in which "a select group of high officials in Mexico”

For Adolfo López Mateos, Scott did not assign an alias LITEMPO, but the code name LITENSOR.

While these documents have now been made public, many of them still remain secret.
The true impact of these assets on Mexico and its economy may remain hidden for decades to come and unofficially, there’s suspicion that additional leaders of Mexico may have also played roles such as…

Miguel de la Madrid (1982-1988):

The suspicion surrounding his links to the CIA affected his policies and decision-making, particularly regarding Mexico's economic reforms and the fight against drug trafficking.
He too, was affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party.
When compared to previous presidents, La Madrid was market-oriented. Whether by intent or incompetency, Mexico experienced an annual average of 100% inflation during. Coincidentally, he served as Minister of Budget and Programming under López Portillo. Despite both the Mexican government crackdown on drugs and the Reagan and Bush Era Drug war at its height, Under la Madrid, the Mexican Drug trade was at a boom. Considering the CIA is noted in playing a large role in the drug trade - la Madrid becomes a key suspect in allowing the US to operate unabridged in Mexico during this time.

Moving forward to Election Day of 1988 specifically. La Madrid’s time was up. The Mexican people were tired of his continuous failures and Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, previously ousted by his own party, led the poos. Lo and behold…the computer system used to tally the votes experienced a malfunction and shit down. When the system rebooted, Carlos Salinas, the favorite of la Madrid was recorded as the winner. both the country and its leaders claimed election fraud and rejected the official results, accusing the government of orchestrating a massive electoral fraud. Even after the protest. Salinas was still “elected” president.

Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-1994):

Carlos Salinas de Gortari, went on to create strong economic liberalization policies, including the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Which heavily favored the US. including an additional 30 percent inflation of the peso, allowing the US to take advantage of cheap manufacturing and products.

In conclusion - Yes. Its widely known that the CIA has played an active role in meddling with multiple countries around the world. The above presidents are only a few that are known about, and only time will tell what information comes out in the future.