US Accuses Mexico Of Sheltering "Russian Spies Posing As Diplomats"

The United States repeatedly warned Mexico that Russian intelligence officers were operating in the country under diplomatic cover, but the country refused to expel them, according to current and former US and Mexican officials.

In March 2022, after a US general stated publicly that Mexico had become a base for Russian espionage, then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rejected the claim, saying, “We don't have information on this.”

Officials from both countries said his government had already been briefed on the matter multiple times, and that Lopez Obrador himself had been informed directly, according to a report in The New York Times.

US officials said the CIA compiled a list identifying many Russian intelligence officers posted at the Russian Embassy in Mexico City. Five officials familiar with the exchanges said Mexico refused to remove them.

The US then secured an agreement in 2023 allowing American officials to review applications from Russians seeking diplomatic accreditation, leading to some rejections. But six officials told NYT that those already stationed in Mexico were allowed to remain.

“The Mexican government did help, but they could have done a lot more,” said Juan Gonzalez, who served as director for Western Hemisphere affairs on the US National Security Council. “We gave them names of Russian spies who were posing as diplomats at the embassy in Mexico City. These were seasoned spies, who had been on sophisticated operations across Europe.”

US officials say Mexico's location and the constant flow of tourists make it easy for Russian operatives to meet contacts quietly and pass on intelligence from the United States without being noticed by American surveillance.

Western governments have also reported an increase in Russian disinformation efforts in Mexico, prompting the US Embassy to appoint a Russia specialist and the French Embassy to create a disinformation-monitoring role.

The Russian Embassy said its missions were “frequently the target of unfounded accusations of espionage” and added that Russia and Mexico maintain “a wide range of bilateral relations.”

Western intelligence officials say Russia expanded its presence in Mexico after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and after the United States and European allies expelled more than 100 Russian operatives from their own territories. Moscow then reassigned intelligence personnel to Mexico City, a location long used for covert operations.

General Glen VanHerck, then head of US Northern Command, publicly raised concerns in a testimony to the US Senate in 2022. Later, senior US officials raised the matter again with Mexican leaders. According to people briefed on the discussions, Mexico told Washington it would monitor Russian arrivals and report suspicious activity, including among asylum seekers, stated the NYT.

Mexico has maintained its policy of neutrality on Russia, voting at the United Nations to reaffirm Ukraine's sovereignty while avoiding sanctions and continuing diplomatic engagement with Moscow. During regional visits, senior Russian officials have described Latin America as central to Russia's strategic interests.

Intelligence officials say Mexico's approach has allowed Russian operatives to continue operating in the country with limited oversight.