Leticia Neria PhD thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText ...

1974 the DFS had weakened many of the rebel groups, including La Liga. 133 However,
a further wave of kidnappings brought concern both to the public and to the private
sector. The latter demanded solutions from the government. 134 Echeverría remained
steadfast even after his own father in law was abducted. 135 The DFS was directed to find
those involved in the kidnappings, get information using any method necessary, and
punish those responsible. Many were detained and interrogated, including some who
were already in prison, and relatives of guerrilla members. 136
The decline of La Liga began in 1976 when they attempted to kidnap the sister
of the newly-elected president, José López Portillo, to demand the release of all their
members from prison. The attack was unsuccessful. 137 During that year Brigada Blanca
continued hunting La Liga, and although left wing political organisations were
clamouring for the freedom of the guerrilleros and the opponents of the regime, the
Home Secretary insisted that in the country ‘no hay presos políticos ni “delincuentes
políticos”, quienes están en prisión son simples “terroristas y saboteadores” ’. 138 By
1990, La Liga had completely disappeared. 139
The counterattack
Mexican intelligence services began operating in the late 1940s. One branch was known
as the Dirección Federal de Seguridad (DFS). 140 It was charged with collecting
133 Aguayo, La charola… p. 181.
134 Thus, we should not be surprised about the negative depiction of the ‘inconformes’ in La Familia
Burrón since they threatened ordinary people.
135 Torres, Nazar, la historia secreta… p. 91.
136 In fact, the father of one of the leaders of FRAP, after being secretly tortured, appeared on TV asking
his son to release José Guadalupe Zuno Hernández, Echeverría’s father in law. The pressure worked and
Zuno was freed. According to Aguayo, there are versions that Zuno Hernández was released because the
government secretly agreed to liberate some jailed guerrilla members. Aguayo, La Charola… pp. 180-
181.
137 Scherer, ‘Los patriotas’… p. 133.
138 Castellanos, México armado… p. 271-272.
139 Ibid., p. 350.
140 Aguayo, La Charola… p. 62.
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