U.S. officials and former intelligence officers are concerned about the increasing presence of Russian intelligence services in Mexico, especially in Mexico City. They believe that Russia is using its embassy in Mexico as a base for spy operations targeting the United States, as well as for propaganda activities aimed at undermining Washington and Ukraine. The Biden administration has raised the issue with the Mexican government, and CIA Director William Burns has expressed concern about Russia’s expanding footprint in Mexico, which he attributes to the expulsion of Russian spies from Europe after the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s aggressive posture in Mexico is part of a broader strategy by its intelligence services to silence critics abroad, undermine support for Ukraine, and weaken Western democracies. This includes sabotage, attempted assassinations, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns. Mexico, which has historically maintained friendly relations with Russia and Cuba, has become a convenient and low-risk environment for Russian intelligence operations due to its proximity to the U.S. and lack of intense scrutiny from law enforcement.
Former incidents of Russian espionage in Mexico, such as the assassination of Leon Trotsky and the espionage cases of Christopher Boyce and Harold Nicholson, demonstrate a historical pattern of Russian intelligence activities in the region. Russian intelligence agencies may use Mexico as a base for supporting agents in the U.S., planning sabotage operations, and manipulating the information landscape. U.S. officials are particularly concerned about Russia’s efforts to manipulate public opinion in Mexico through propaganda and disinformation campaigns about the U.S. and Ukraine.
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