The Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional (Secretariat of National Defence) is the branch of the Mexican government responsible for overseeing the nation's armed forces, including the Ejército Mexicano (Mexican Army) and the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (Mexican Air Force). The Armada de México (Mexican Navy) is, rather notably, its own cabinet-level institution and is not subordinate to SEDENA. Established in 1937, it plays a central role in Mexico’s national security, border defense, and internal stability, and it is deeply integrated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), to which Mexico belongs since its inception. Throughout the Cold War, it has been continuously tasked with countering communist influence, insurgencies, and foreign subversion, often working alongside intelligence agencies like the Dirección Federal de Seguridad (DFS). While officially committed to upholding Mexico’s sovereignty, SEDENA became embroiled in political repression, particularly during the Mexican Student Movement of 1968, where it played a key role in coordinating the military response. In the decades that followed, its focus shifted towards combating drug cartels and internal unrest, though its legacy remains intertwined with the darker undercurrents of state violence.
