Carnivalizing the Cold War: Mexico, the Mexican Revolution, and the Events of 1968

1. IntroductionDuring the 1960s, United States intelligence officers in communiqués back to their supervisors in Washington DC lamented that the political situation in Mexico was so complicated as to evade easy and sure comprehension. They expressed frustration and uncertainty about such things as the role of communism in Mexico, the ideology of the protest movements taking place there throughout the decade, and the difficult logic of Mexico’s relationship with Cuba. This confusion resulted...