Russian intelligence services have been building up their presence in Mexico for espionage operations targeting the United States, a return to Cold War tactics by an increasingly aggressive regime, according to U.S. officials and former intelligence officers.
Russia has added dozens of personnel to its embassy staff in Mexico City over the past few years, despite limited trade ties with the country. The U.S. government believes the extensive buildup is aimed at bolstering the Kremlin’s intelligence operations targeting the U.S., as well as its propaganda efforts aimed at undermining Washington and Ukraine.
The Mexican Embassy and the Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment on this matter.
CIA Director William Burns stated that his agency and the U.S. government are “sharply focused” on Russia’s expanding footprint in Mexico, which he said was partly due to Russian spies being expelled from foreign capitals after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s actions in Mexico reflect a more aggressive posture by its intelligence services across multiple fronts, as the Kremlin seeks to silence critics abroad, undermine support for Ukraine and weaken Western democracies. This approach has included sabotage and attempted sabotage in Europe, assassination plots, relentless cyberattacks and large-scale global disinformation campaigns, according to U.S. and European officials.
Former CIA officers have stated that Russia’s presence in Mexico is a result of the country offering a “benign environment” for Russian intelligence operations. Unlike the U.S., where Russian intelligence is under intense scrutiny from the FBI and consulates have been shuttered, Mexico provides a convenient setting for Moscow to oversee agents in the U.S. and stage other operations.
Former CIA officers also stated that the Russians would likely want to use Mexico’s proximity but relative safety beyond U.S. law enforcement’s reach to support both American agents and Russian officers operating under “deep cover” in the U.S. This could include using Mexico as a base for sabotage operations in the event of a war with the U.S.
The perception of a large Russian spying bastion in Mexico is also seen as a useful propaganda tool by Moscow, exaggerating its capabilities and fueling a perception of a supposedly “uncontrollable border.” The U.S. government is also concerned about Russia’s effort to manipulate the information landscape in Mexico, seeking not only to undercut international support for Ukraine but also to sow social divisions.
Russian state media has run false reports, including one claiming that the U.S. was recruiting members of drug cartels from Mexico and Colombia to send them to fight in Ukraine. This baseless account was picked up by some Mexican news organizations, further spreading misinformation. The Russian ambassador to Mexico posted this false report on his official social media accounts.
The presence of a large number of Russian personnel in Mexico has raised concerns among U.S. officials about the potential for Russian espionage and propaganda operations in the country. The Mexican government’s response to these concerns remains unclear.
Source: NBC News
