2024/10/08 by Edgar Iván Espinosa · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Political and Social Dynamics in Chile and Latin America #International Relations and Foreign Policy #Brazilian History and Foreign Policy
paper · doi:10.1080/08850607.2024.2393389
openalex publication_date 2024/10/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/13
The Mexican Federal Security Directorate (DFS) was established not only to counter domestic opposition but also to address Soviet interference during the Cold War. This intervention, often overlooked by scholars, took the form of subsidies to the Communist Party, training of subversives, recruitment of agents, and other less studied covert actions. While the single-party regime shaped the presidents’ perception of threats and officers’ recruitment until the mid-1960s, it was the silent war between U.S. and Soviet intelligence that primarily influenced the DFS as an organization. Contrary to the traditional narrative, the agency resorted to extrajudicial action only when extensive surveillance and patronage failed, adopting a case-approach type of analysis, tactical products, and strong liaison with the Central Intelligence Agency.