November 24th, 2025 - Russia Pushes Disinformation in Mexico to Undermine U.S. Relations

Russia’s disinformation campaign across Latin America has escalated sharply over the last two years, with U.S. officials warning that the effort is designed in part to drive a wedge between Washington and its regional partners. According to an internal U.S. diplomatic cable and a new watchdog report, Kremlin-funded outlets like Sputnik and RT have dramatically expanded their presence, especially in Mexico — the world’s largest Spanish-speaking country and the United States’ top trading partner.

American diplomats in Mexico City sounded alarms in April 2024 about what they described as a “sudden and dramatic expansion” of RT’s operations there. In a cable titled “Mexico: RT’s Invasion,” officials warned that Russia’s investment in Spanish-language content and its attempts to undermine the United States represented a growing threat to public opinion. The cable urged Washington to devote more resources to countering RT’s efforts.

The Russian Embassy denied allegations of disinformation, portraying Sputnik and RT as neutral alternatives to Western media. But U.S. officials say the networks’ reach has exploded: RT en Español jumped from 191,000 views on X in 2022 to 715 million a year later. With RT restricted in Europe and the United States, the Kremlin has shifted its focus to Latin America — a region of roughly 670 million people.

Officials also attribute RT’s rapid growth in Mexico to political allies within the government of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Current and former U.S. and European officials say members of López Obrador’s party, Morena, have echoed or amplified Russian narratives. British and French diplomats have expressed similar concerns to Mexico’s foreign ministry, though the ministry declined to comment.

Independent investigations show the campaign extends beyond Mexico. A 2024 Justice Department probe uncovered a Russian influence operation called Doppelgänger that spread anti-American narratives aimed at worsening tensions between the United States and Mexico. Kremlin-backed outlets have also circulated claims that the U.S. and Ukraine are working with Mexican and Colombian cartels — allegations echoed by some Morena politicians and amplified across Spanish-language media.

RT has also been cultivating influence through training sessions for journalists and partnerships with local institutions. A new report by the German Marshall Fund and Factchequeado found that RT held journalist trainings in Venezuela where attendees chanted “Long live Russia!” and “Long live Putin!” In Mexico, RT has partnered with the Journalists Club, an organization partially funded by the Senate, whose magazine now republishes Russian state media content in more than half its pages.

Experts warn that while Russia expands its footprint, the United States has weakened its own ability to counter foreign propaganda after scaling back key information-security programs in recent years. “You have the U.S. retreating from the information space globally, and in comes Russia,” said Bret Schafer of the German Marshall Fund. “Latin America has long been seen as a priority for Moscow — a place where it can challenge U.S. influence close to home.”

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