Young people in Mexico are using AI on TikTok to imagine themselves as agents of the Federal Security Directorate (DFS), the country's secret police during the 1970s 'dirty war'. The DFS was notorious for torturing, murdering, and disappearing thousands of people. The trend has sparked condemnation from some users, who argue it glorifies corruption and impunity.
The videos typically show young men in grey or brown suits standing in front of vintage cars, with text such as: 'I would've loved to live in the 70s with my DFS badge, total impunity … smelling of whiskey and smoke with a shitload of money.' The DFS was founded in 1947 and became infamous for its brutal tactics against student protesters and guerrilla groups, including kidnappings, torture, and 'death flights' where bodies were thrown into the Pacific Ocean.
Historian Sergio Aguayo, who has studied the DFS, said the videos reflect 'the rise of the culture of violence and the discrediting of the work ethic'. He added: 'The point is to make a lot of money quickly, without paying attention to how it’s done.' The DFS was dissolved in 1985 after being implicated in the murders of a journalist and a DEA agent.
Feminist scholar Irene Soria argued the trend is linked to the rise of the Mexican far right and opposition to feminism. She noted that some women also participate, posing as wives of DFS agents or PRI politicians, similar to the 'tradwife' phenomenon in the US. However, a backlash has emerged, with some TikTok users reminding others of the DFS's brutal history. One user wrote: 'It’s incredible to see how a trend can override collective memory. We were NOT better off before; stop romanticizing one of the institutions that has done the most damage to the country.'
