''An Unknown Enemy'' ( es, Un Extraño Enemigo) is a 2018 web television

political thriller A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of a political power struggle, high stakes and suspense is the core of the story. The genre often forces the audiences to consider and understand the importance of politics. The ...

and propaganda drama series released on

Amazon Prime Amazon Prime is a paid subscription service from Amazon which is available in various countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services include same, one- ...

. It examines the events leading to the 1968 student massacre and its cover-up, through the eyes of Commander Fernando Barrientos, head of a secret

Intelligence agency An intelligence agency is a government agency responsible for the collection, Intelligence analysis, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, public safety, and foreign policy objective ...

. The series main character is loosely based on the real life

Fernando Gutiérrez Barrios Fernando Gutiérrez Barrios (October 26, 1927 – October 30, 2000) was a Mexicans, Mexican politician affiliated with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was in charge of the Dirección Federal de Seguridad secret police at the m ...

, director of the infamous DFS intelligence Agency, and depicts the political intrigues that triggered the period of censorship and repression of students at the end of the 1960s. Season one, comprising eight episodes, aired on Amazon Prime exclusively. It premiered on October 2, 2018, commemorating 50 years of the depicted events. On November 9, 2018 it was announced that the series would be renewed for a second season.

Premise

''An Unknown Enemy'' explores the origins of the Mexican

dirty war The Dirty War ( es, Guerra sucia) is the name used by the military junta or civic-military dictatorship of Argentina ( es, dictadura cívico-militar de Argentina, links=no) for the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1974 to 1983 a ...

of the 1960s, and portrays the attempts of Fernando Barrientos, head of the "NSD" secret police, to ensure a grip on political power, as the country goes through a series of social turmoils, in part provoked by the agency he is directing. All happening in the frame of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

, the 1960s youth counterculture, the preparations of 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and the upcoming

1970 Mexican general election General elections were held in Mexico on 5 July 1970. Dieter Nohlen (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p453 The presidential elections were won by Luis Echeverría Álvarez, who received 86% of the vote. In the Cha ...

Reception

The series received mostly mixed reviews. Although some praised it for its cinematography, others deeply criticised its portrayal of the student protests by "over-simplyfying" the events of 1968, "focusing too much on the government conspiracy" and putting forth a notion of a deep state in Mexico, distorting how the events unfolded, making it ultimately PRI propaganda.

Cast and crew

The series is produced by filmmaker

Gabriel Ripstein Gabriel Ripstein (born 1972) is a Mexican film producer, director, editor and screenwriter. A producer since 1999, Ripstein has been involved in nine feature films (including two directed by his father, Mexican film director Arturo Ripstein). Two ...

, who is also one of its executive producers and writers, and is starring award winner actor Daniel Giménez Cacho as Fernando Barrientos. It also stars: * Antonio de la Vega as Interior Minister Luis Echeverría * Fernando Becerril as Mexico City Mayor Alfonso Corona del Rosal * Hernán Del Riego as Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz * Karina Gidi as Mrs. Esperanza Barrientos *

Kristyan Ferrer Kristyan Ferrer (born Kristyan Antonio Ferrer Medel; 14 February 1995) is a Mexican actor in various roles since 2001. He played the role of El Smiley in the award-winning film '' Sin Nombre'', directed by US director Cary Joji Fukunaga. For his ...

as Beto a shady student leader * Andrés Delgado as David an important activist leader, loosely based in the renowned journalist and writer Luis González de Alba. *

Irene Azuela Irene Azuela (born October 27, 1979) is a British-born Mexican actress and producer. Career Irene Azuela began her career as an actress in 2000's in TV Azteca with three telenovelas: ''Todo por amor'', ''Amores querer con alevosía'' and ''La ...

as Elena, Commander Barrientos' assistant, right hand and secret lover.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Unknown Enemy, An Television series set in the 1960s 2010s American crime drama television series Works based on actual events Television shows set in Mexico 2018 American television series debuts Serial drama television series

Premise

Reception

Cast and crew

See also

References

External links