La masacre de Tlatelolco y los gobiernos de los Estados Unidos de América y de Gran Bretaña

Abstract

The presented article analyzes the international dimension of the so-called Tlatelolco massacre of 1968. It focuses on the diplomatic reaction of two of Mexico’s neighbors, the United States of America and the United Kingdom that still held its colony of British Honduras. This topic has been neglected by historiography so far. It is based on the archival resources from British National Archives in Kew and online declassified American documents available thanks to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The reaction of both governments was minimal and relatively calm because they understood the massacre did not endanger their strong ally Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and the students’ protests were not anti-American nor anti-British. Similarly, there was a vague connection to the international communist movement, and no countries from the communist camp were directly involved. The only difference we could find was in the evaluation of the massacre. The British saw it as an opportunity for further democratization of Mexico, i.e., they took a more normative stance. The Americans approached the situation more pragmatically. They were supportive of the undemocratic regime as long as it took an anti-communist stance.