Mexico: The Infiltration of CISEN in Anarchist Circles

From Contra Info
Translated by FW Villa

Some context

In the past few days various media outlets have published articles concerning “violent groups” in the Mexican territory.

These articles are a result of the Attorney General of Mexico (PGR) publicly revealing the names of groups that threaten social stability; these groups are anarchists, communists, radical ecology groups, eco-extremists, or groups of other political alignments.

One of these articles, titled “50 anarchists cells at war with capitalism and the state” from the alternative magazine “Contralinea,” reveals official documents from the National Risks Agenda, put together by CISEN (National Security and Investigation Center). This articles names the most active groups, their history, their modus operandi, and their operational zones. Additionally, the article details bombings, arsons, armed assaults, and homicides executed by these groups. It is important to note that the authorities do not care much about lumping together anarchists, eco-extremists, and far-right groups, for them, we all are threats, and with reason, since the increase in these types of acts results in social destabilization and this increase of extreme violence in the population makes it worrisome to the government. In other words, the system of justice implemented by the state lacks credibility in various sectors of society, which worries the state, but is an opportunity for us to unleash chaos left and right.

Let’s dive directly into the topic of infiltration

One of the articles mentions “The strike being prepared against anarchists,” and even though this is a small section of the article, this is what we want to focus on. Details are lacking, but we want to emphasize this “strike” being prepared by CISEN.

It is well known that previous strikes have left the anarchist scene in Mexico City and the State of Mexico wounded. Even though these strikes have been infrequent and not part of a special operation, we can only assume that this is just for now.

The constant harassment from the police of the members of Okupa Che, the evictions (or attempted evictions) of Chanti Ollin, the shooting by state police at members of Casa Naranja, the detentions of members of the black bloc in the October 2 and May 1 marches, the police investigations against occupied hubs at the Sciences and Humanities Colleges (CCH) and departments at UNAM and UAM, the provocation through attacks by paid thugs of radio stations such as Regeneración Radio, the presence of undercover cops at music shows and political events, the beatings and punishment of anarchists prisoners, and the continued surveillance by the Police Investigation units of former prisoners are clear examples of attacks, campaigns, and activities against anarchist political activities.

And besides all that, infiltration occurs, which one of the articles mentions as a tool that the federal authorities are implementing. Observe the following excerpt:

“ …  Among the ‘recommendations’ from the National Security Agency contained in the National Risks Agenda are the following: the ‘push for actions to strengthen the inter-institutional plan to deal with (anarchism),’ and the ‘relaunching of operational groups inside of CISEN focused on specific objectives’ (sic).

The operational groups are intelligence groups, groups that oversee special and specific missions: undercover actions, surveillance, infiltration, bugging of homes and offices. In some countries, operational groups oversee the elimination of individuals that ‘threaten’ the ‘security of the state’.”

This is nothing new of course, the guerillas operating in the 1960s and 1970s in the Mexican territory were aware of these tactics, but now the orders are to focus on the anarchist scene, and not the anarchist movement.

Examples that we must consider

This intelligence work has been applied before in anarchist “communities.” For example, in 2009 authorities from Mexico City harassed eco-anarchist and insurrectionist groups. Undercover agents from the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI – which has been restructured into the Ministerial Federal Police) detained Ramses Villareal, a psychology student from UNAM, as he was making his way to the university in a bus. Ramses was linked to “violent acts” at UNAM and the federal agency erroneously thought he was implicated with bombings performed with butane gas in Mexico City and other states.

As usual the PGR could not back the accusations and they were forced to drop the charges of “terrorism” brought against the activist.

In 2013, Gustavo Rodriguez was kidnapped by the AFI (which was officially dissolved, but continues operating in secrecy) after his participation in the Informal International Symposium in University City. This kidnapping was in response to ferocious arsons against Walmart stores, tremendous explosives that destroyed different targets, and mail bombings to scientists. Rodriguez was stupidly accused of leading these attacks, was tortured, and extradited to the United States.

In this case, the efforts of the intelligence agencies focused on the symposium – undercover military personnel were clearly present along with uninvited journalists who idiotically questioned participants about alleged links they had to bombings and arson attacks – these journalists were asked to leave the event, but they did not do so before they photographed, recorded, and had done their journalistic ruse for their articles about the symposium.

The memory of the female police officer that infiltrated anarchist circles at the University of Veracruz in Xalapa remains fresh – especially in the Comedor Autonomo (autonomous dining room) of the Humanities Department. According to testimonies, she was the key piece in breaking up the anarchist project in that city.

According to the press: Soledad Santiago is suspected to be a police infiltrator in the student movement at the University of Veracruz! They report that she caused the brutal beating of students from that university on June 5, 2015.

Soledad Santiago gained the sympathy of many anarchists and was responsible for arranging the beating of students on June 5th, 2015 by a “shock group” – this act was punishment for the campaign known as Black June where bombings, arsons, occupations of school buildings, and barricades took place in Mexico City, State of Mexico, Veracruz, Puebla, and Oaxaca, among other states.

There are many more examples which highlight the strategies that the authorities employ to “disrupt” and to contain “potential threats”; for example, using addicts that are part of anarchist circles as informants. In the early 2000s, the FBI in the U.S. used heroin addict Jacob Ferguson to snitch on most of the Earth Liberation Front cells.

Another example is the operation implemented by the Police Information Brigade of Barcelona – during this operation the police sought informants who were involved in anarchist political events and to link them to those arrested in Operation Pandora.

The press reported: “The trap of the fake anarchist infiltrator.” A judge investigates two police officers accused of coercing a person into becoming an informant on social movements in Barcelona.

Self-Criticism

It is not a surprise that these situations have taken place within anarchist circles in Mexico City and other states – we know that in the anarchist scene there are blabbermouths who under the influence of alcohol or drugs claim to belong to certain groups so that they can befriend people, to initiate sexual relations with individuals, or to find a pathetic little place within our circles. Or perhaps, just perhaps, these individuals are the infiltrators and undercover police officers that are searching for radical sympathizers and preparing future arrests. After all, they lie about who they are, who they have ties with, and what groups they belong to. This can all be conjecture, but it is important to be skeptical (which is not the same as being paranoid), to be selective, to scrutinize those call themselves comrades but who in reality are AFI agents, to recognize who these individuals are, and to act upon it.

The strategy of counter-intelligence is being re-deployed by the authorities as a response to the Black Threat. It is on us to respond and act against these operations with intelligence or we will be doomed to repeat the same historic mistakes that have followed us for years.

– Some anarcho-bandits