MEXICO CITY SITREP (DELETED)

Created: 9/9/1968

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Intelligence Information Cable

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be TAKE*. H PROM fORCBTUL REPRESSION Of VIOLENCE XRXTXATK> BY students, THBLBEBXOD NNBV THB OOVERHHEHT TOOK SO POSITIVE STEPS. TMSRS WTU BOMBS fOH PERSONAL INTERVENTION Of THBURING TBI HXIOHT Of TVS EBBHOBBTRATXOH, BUT MM CHOSS TO MAZT OHTXL TBDI OCCASION Of HIS AMHUAL ST ATI Of TKB UHXOHTORMI) TO BECOME personally INVOLVED IM TAB STOIBflrT OtlJXS. HE DBVOTTD APPWraXATnYOf BBS adda ESS TO THS STUDENT PROBLEM. MMXLB HMO MBOOTXATB ON SOME ISSUES, MB fOMCBfDLLl POXHTBD OUT THE SERIOUSNESS Of THE PROBLEM AMD FIRMLY HARMED THAT VIOLENCE MOULD ROT BB PERMITTED TO CONTINUE. THS PRESIDENT'S STAND MM MRU* RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC. BOWEVET, APT EM AN INITIAL PHMTOD MNDDB THEME MAN MOM THE STUDENTS XT APPEARS THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE BROKEN XXMBN INTO THO AOJPXMCS AMD -MlfcXTABTO.- TMB MODERATES ABB REACT TOUT THE MILITANTS BOMB TO CUNI1EUB THE BTMOOOLS ABD TC tOBTCAD TMS PROBLEM TO OTHER HIGHER EDUCATIONAL XMBTXTUTXORS Z> TBS v'ioh.

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1. THE PRINCIPAL INSTRUMENTALITY OP THE STUDENTS DURING THIS

TIME HAS BEEN THE RATIONAL 3TRIKS COUNCIL (CNH) . THIS ORGANIZATION

BEGANOOSELY KNIT "COY OP SIULftHTS FROM THE NATIONAL

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POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTEMD HAS BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED WITH

EACH SUCCESSIVE DmoNSTRATTO". IT NOV NUMBERS APPROXIMATELY OHE HUNDRED AND FORTY STUDENTS. REPRESENTING* THE STRIKE COHNZTTEES OP THE MAJORITY OP THE SCHOOLS INVOLVED IH THE PRESENT MOVEMENT. PROM ALL INDICATIONS. THE CNH IS GUIDED, OR AT LEAST ADVISED,ROUP OP TEACHERS AND PROFESSORS FROM THESE SCHOOLS. THIS GROUP INCLUDES SOW OP MEXICO'S MOST PROMINENT LEFTIST INTELLECTUALS. HE CKri HAS ACHIEVED SOME DEGREE OP ORGANIZATION, REPORTS INDIC THAT IT COMPRISES SEVERAL FACTIONS AND THAT ITS DELIBERATIONS ARE HARKED BY MUCH DISACCEEHEHT.

4. ASIDE FROM THE HARD-CORE STUDENTS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IH THE CNH, THE STRIKE COMMITTEES AND THEBRIGADES" , THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS AT THE NATIONAL AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY (UNAM) AND IPH HAVE HOT TAKEN ACTIVE ROLES EXCEPT DURING THE DEMONSTRATIONS. AT THE TIMES OF DEMORSTRATIORS, MANY OP THESE HAVE "JOINED THE CROWD", BUT HAVE MOT COimRUED TO PARTICIPATEAY-TO-DAY BASIS,

3. THE STUDENTS, THROUGH THE CNH, HAVE TRIED TO TAKE

CASE TO THE PEOPLE BUT WITHOUT APPARENT SUCCESS. OPED

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general HaRX STOPPAGEEP'. EMBER DID HOT :vM?ERiAMt.2. . ^ r-

HO SIOHIflCAHT NUMBERS OR WAKERS OR PEASANTS HAS BECOME INVOLVED.

ft. the OHE nXSTINGUTSBIMO FEATURE Of THB current STTDENT

UNREST HAS BEEN THB UNPRECEDENTED UNLE. -SHING Of CRITICISM AND

overnment and. in particular, AGAINST the

HAT THIS turn Of EVENTS has shaken THE PRESENT

ADMINISTRATION IS ATTESTED to by REPORTS, WHICH ALTHOUGHirm ei

are CONSIDERED to BE PROBABLY TRUE, THAT the GOVERNMENT HAS INSPIRE!

rumors OR REPORTS THAT THE U.OVERNMENT, through THE cia amd

fbi, EITHER SPARKED OR NURTURED the cstodent CRISIS. THE GOVERNMENT

HAS MOT TAILED, Of COURSE, to AVAIL ITSELF Of tbe OPPORTUNITY to

BLAME THE COMMUNISTS, MHO areLAUSIBLE AHD TEMPTING

TARGET, SINCE THEY STAND tc jBHEFIT FROM AND have BEEN INVOLVED IN

THE DISTURBANCES. it has BEEM FEPORTED that the PRESIDENT ATTRIBUTl

THE STUDENT UPRISINGS TO THE COMHUDIST3, nhc BE CLAIMS, ARE AIDED

AND SUPPORTED BY THE CUBAN AND SOVIET EMBASSIES. HOWEVER. IT IS

IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WITH CERTAINTY WHETHER HE ACTUALLYVES

TO BE TRUE. THERE IS BO HARD EVIDENCE THAT EITHER THE CUBAN o

THE SOVIET EMBASSIES HAVE MASTERMINDED THB DISTURBANCES. AL THOU TP IT IS REASONABLE TO AS3UMS THAT TBBY HAVE AT/LEASTORAL

support. local leftist extremists have been exploiting the situation to the best op their capabilities. it is interest! no to rote that there has beeh very li tile spontaneous criticism op the soviets. ever though tbb soviet-czech confrontation occurred ih the midst op the disturbances. there has beeh eulogising op che guevara but. little or ho praise for fidel castro.

7. one major concern has appeared to be uppermost in tbs minds op governmenthat the studqt problem. not interfere kith upcoming olympic events. it appears that the students. aside from the more radical elements, realizeis at stake ih the olwpics, and while the majority would hot try to disrupt the games. the pact that the time for the olympics is close at hand does mot inhibit the students from airing their grievances. hohbvbh, from tbb extreme radicals, anything can be

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8. IS SUMMARY. WHAT BEGANELATIVELY MINOR INCIDENT INVOLVING ONLY SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS GREM TO SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTIONS. THB GOVERNMENT SEEMED UNABLE TO MOBILIZE ITSELF TO DEAL MXTB THE MOUNTING PROBLEM. THE GOVERNMENT USED FORCE TO STOP STUDENT VIOLENCE. BUT DID MOTUBLIC STANCE OB THE PROBLEM, EXCEPT FOR THE MINISTER OP GOVERNMENT'S OFFER TO THE STUDENTS ONUGUST, UNTIL THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED HIS ANNUAL STATE OP THE UNION MESSAGE. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATIONALtTY (PHI) DO MOT POSSESS THE POWER AND NEAR TOTAL CONTROL OVER PUBLIC BEHAVIOR WHICH EXISTED PREVIOUSLY. WHILE THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT MEXICAN STUDENTSM INFLUENCED BY STUDENT UPRISINGS IN THE U. S. AHD EUROPE, THE RECENT STUUEMf DISTURBANCES HAVEEW EXPERIENCE iOA MEXICO AND MAT PROVIDE AB INDICATION OP THINGS TO COME. THE OLD ORDER

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IS PASSING. AND ORGANIZATIONS LUCE TH1 NATIONAL FELHMATIOMSTUDENTS (FN FT) HAVE BEEHT LEAST FOR-O RE MILITARY DEMANDING ORGANIZATION, THEHAVE FOUND THEY CANIGNIFICANT ELEMENT IHDECISION MAXIMO PROCESS. AND THEY ARB NO LONGERTHE PATRONIZING ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. STUDENTSTHAT THEY CAN ASSERT THEMSELVES TO THE EXTENT WHERETHE GOVERNMENT BUT THE PEOPLE LISTEN, REGARDLESS OFGOVERNMENT AGREES WITH THE STUDENTS OR STATE CUT' HNXUT.

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Original document.

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