U.S. ambassadors have often played significant roles in trying to shape Mexico’s political, economic and security policies, usually justifying their actions as part of their diplomatic mandate to serve U.S. strategic interests.
This influence has sometimes taken the form of harsh criticism, such as Ken Salazar’s recent remarks on President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s security policies (see story left), and, at times, outright interference.
One of the most egregious examples of meddling occurred during the “Ten Tragic Days” (Decena Trágica) of 1913, with Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson playing a pivotal role in the overthrow and assassination of Mexican President Francisco I. Madero.
Madero, a key figure in launching the Mexican Revolution against the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, sought to implement democratic reforms. However, his inability to stabilize the nation alienated various factions, including conservatives, elites and military leaders like General Victoriano Huerta.
Many of these elites and business interests were closely tied to the United States, and Wilson saw Madero as a threat to those relationships. By backing Huerta, who promised to restore “order” and protect foreign investments, Wilson prioritized U.S. economic interests over the democratic aspirations of the Mexican people—an accusation still prevalent in modern-day narratives of the bilateral relationship.
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