HOW TO SPOT AN INFILTRATOR by Chimalli Cuetlachtli, National Training Officer
We have had a history of infiltration in the Chicano Movement that dates back to the very early days of our organizing
efforts. First let us point out that there are three types of infiltrators:
1) Those that originally joined with good intentions but for whatever reason become traitors and leak information;
2) Those that join to spy on us for private gain (these are called moles);
3) Those that join to spy for government agencies and collect information for the purpose of destroying an organization or an individual.
Now let us discuss how to identify an infiltrator. Some are quite obvious while others are hard to identify because they
blend in so well.
1. Those who try to convince others to commit acts of violence or criminal activities. While some have genuine enthusiasm and are
anxious for direct action, that “fire” needs to be channeled into positive activism that makes a real difference. Therefore not everyone who
calls for violence or such are infiltrators.
2. Those who constantly ask questions about the leadership and membership looking for detailed information on who they are, where
they live, where they work and such. There are differences between curiosity based on respect and those who probe with ulterior
motives. Simply ask the person, “Why do you want to know?” then tell them that the personal lives of the leaders and members are
personal.
3. Those who try too hard to be involved in every major decision, meeting, gathering, and are too anxious to become a leader in
order to get into that “inner circle”. It is obvious at some point that the only reason they insist on being there is to gather “intelligence” on
who’s who and any plans that are made.
4. Those who pretend to be leaders and pawn themselves off as leaders to unsuspecting people or organizations in order to gain
“entrance” into privileged information or resources and to spread misinformation.
5. Those that always contradict with pointless arguments in meetings or spreads dissension on a one-on-one basis. Also be weary
of those who meddle in other people’s personal affairs such as their relationships and such. These things can cause division, confusion,
and disruption within the organization. While some do this because they are “metiches” with no honor, infiltrators do this maliciously. Put
a quick end to this and get to the root of the problem by finding out who started the “rumor” or dissenting argument and discipline them
promptly.
6. Those who slander or attack leaders with no regard and no motive. While no one is perfect, neither are the leaders, whatever
wrongdoing that is done by a leader should be addressed in the appropriate manner by other leaders with substantial proof of wrong
doing. Speculations and petty issues should never be entertained.
7. Those who are always trying to convince others to join another organization or break away and start a rival organization. While
some have left a Brown Beret organization and started another organization after significant grievances that made it necessary for them
to do so but it is never an easy decision to make for no real Brown Beret wishes to see the organization or the movement even more
divided. Most who pull away with genuine concerns typically maintain a good relationship with their previous organization or with its
members.
8. Those who mysteriously show up out of nowhere, don’t have any connections to the community, and don’t have a real background
that can be investigated by our intelligence officers. This person’s background typically is spotty, inconsistent meaning their life story
contradicts itself at points, or implausible meaning that some of their stories could not have possibly happened.
9. There are those who are long term plants who have worked legitimate jobs, have a home and kids, and have built significant ties
to the community in one way or another over the course of a few years. This is the best “operative” that government agencies deploy
because their lives are “together” and consistent making it almost impossible to detect them as infiltrators. Some of the points mentioned
above are the only ways to detect them
Ultimately it should be said that you should trust NO ONE, not even your own spouse. There are things that you should
never say, and if you ever think or act in a way that might compromise your safety be sure to do things as an individual and
never, NEVER tell anyone else. In a country that desires to control every detail of human life and dissenters must be
silenced, they will use any tactic that they can to infiltrate and destroy anyone that opposes them, that includes planting a
spouse, best friend, partner, fellow student, etc.
We have had a history of infiltration in the Chicano Movement that dates back to the very early days of our organizing
efforts. First let us point out that there are three types of infiltrators:
1) Those that originally joined with good intentions but for whatever reason become traitors and leak information;
2) Those that join to spy on us for private gain (these are called moles);
3) Those that join to spy for government agencies and collect information for the purpose of destroying an organization or an individual.
Now let us discuss how to identify an infiltrator. Some are quite obvious while others are hard to identify because they
blend in so well.
1. Those who try to convince others to commit acts of violence or criminal activities. While some have genuine enthusiasm and are
anxious for direct action, that “fire” needs to be channeled into positive activism that makes a real difference. Therefore not everyone who
calls for violence or such are infiltrators.
2. Those who constantly ask questions about the leadership and membership looking for detailed information on who they are, where
they live, where they work and such. There are differences between curiosity based on respect and those who probe with ulterior
motives. Simply ask the person, “Why do you want to know?” then tell them that the personal lives of the leaders and members are
personal.
3. Those who try too hard to be involved in every major decision, meeting, gathering, and are too anxious to become a leader in
order to get into that “inner circle”. It is obvious at some point that the only reason they insist on being there is to gather “intelligence” on
who’s who and any plans that are made.
4. Those who pretend to be leaders and pawn themselves off as leaders to unsuspecting people or organizations in order to gain
“entrance” into privileged information or resources and to spread misinformation.
5. Those that always contradict with pointless arguments in meetings or spreads dissension on a one-on-one basis. Also be weary
of those who meddle in other people’s personal affairs such as their relationships and such. These things can cause division, confusion,
and disruption within the organization. While some do this because they are “metiches” with no honor, infiltrators do this maliciously. Put
a quick end to this and get to the root of the problem by finding out who started the “rumor” or dissenting argument and discipline them
promptly.
6. Those who slander or attack leaders with no regard and no motive. While no one is perfect, neither are the leaders, whatever
wrongdoing that is done by a leader should be addressed in the appropriate manner by other leaders with substantial proof of wrong
doing. Speculations and petty issues should never be entertained.
7. Those who are always trying to convince others to join another organization or break away and start a rival organization. While
some have left a Brown Beret organization and started another organization after significant grievances that made it necessary for them
to do so but it is never an easy decision to make for no real Brown Beret wishes to see the organization or the movement even more
divided. Most who pull away with genuine concerns typically maintain a good relationship with their previous organization or with its
members.
8. Those who mysteriously show up out of nowhere, don’t have any connections to the community, and don’t have a real background
that can be investigated by our intelligence officers. This person’s background typically is spotty, inconsistent meaning their life story
contradicts itself at points, or implausible meaning that some of their stories could not have possibly happened.
9. There are those who are long term plants who have worked legitimate jobs, have a home and kids, and have built significant ties
to the community in one way or another over the course of a few years. This is the best “operative” that government agencies deploy
because their lives are “together” and consistent making it almost impossible to detect them as infiltrators. Some of the points mentioned
above are the only ways to detect them
Ultimately it should be said that you should trust NO ONE, not even your own spouse. There are things that you should
never say, and if you ever think or act in a way that might compromise your safety be sure to do things as an individual and
never, NEVER tell anyone else. In a country that desires to control every detail of human life and dissenters must be
silenced, they will use any tactic that they can to infiltrate and destroy anyone that opposes them, that includes planting a
spouse, best friend, partner, fellow student, etc.
Infiltration
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This is Richard Valdemar. At an
early age he was chosen to help organize in
the community but later on decided to join
up with the LA County Sheriff's
department. Being he was an activist at one
time, he was a key person to use as an
infiltrator because no one would question
him. As an infiltrator he gathered
information on the Leaders, had many
activists arrested, and some were killed by
police in their pursuit of suppressing the
Chicano Movement.
- As found on
http://blog.fulldisclosure.net/2007_02_01_arc
hive.html
early age he was chosen to help organize in
the community but later on decided to join
up with the LA County Sheriff's
department. Being he was an activist at one
time, he was a key person to use as an
infiltrator because no one would question
him. As an infiltrator he gathered
information on the Leaders, had many
activists arrested, and some were killed by
police in their pursuit of suppressing the
Chicano Movement.
- As found on
http://blog.fulldisclosure.net/2007_02_01_arc
hive.html
This is to inform La Raza that Sammie Cortez has
been terminated from the Brown Beret National
Organization effective immediately. She is guilty of many
serious violations of Brown Beret Code of Ethics and
Conduct and also of other Rules and Regulations. Some
of these violations include actual threats of having some
of our National Cadre members assaulted and claiming to
represent our organization while refusing to work with
anybody from the Brown Beret National Organization,
yet aligning herself with an unofficial Brown Beret group
which is openly hostile towards ours.
While she admits to have worked in the past for the ATF,
by her own actions and behaviors it is not clear whether
or not she's still working for ATF or another agency. It is
advised for everyone to steer clear of her and keep in
mind that she is not a member of the Brown Beret
National Organization and if she's admitted into any
other group or organization it will be at their own risk.
-Written by the Cadre Nacional of the Brown Beret
National Organization
been terminated from the Brown Beret National
Organization effective immediately. She is guilty of many
serious violations of Brown Beret Code of Ethics and
Conduct and also of other Rules and Regulations. Some
of these violations include actual threats of having some
of our National Cadre members assaulted and claiming to
represent our organization while refusing to work with
anybody from the Brown Beret National Organization,
yet aligning herself with an unofficial Brown Beret group
which is openly hostile towards ours.
While she admits to have worked in the past for the ATF,
by her own actions and behaviors it is not clear whether
or not she's still working for ATF or another agency. It is
advised for everyone to steer clear of her and keep in
mind that she is not a member of the Brown Beret
National Organization and if she's admitted into any
other group or organization it will be at their own risk.
-Written by the Cadre Nacional of the Brown Beret
National Organization
Eustacio (Frank) Martinez was the last person to infiltrate the East Los Angeles Brown Beret organization in the 70's.
Martinez was originally from Texas, where he had been arrested in July 1969 for an illegal weapons charge during a gang bust in
Houston. Martinez was offered a deal by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agency (ATF). The deal entailed that ATF would
eliminate the federal charge as long as he would become an undercover agent for the ATF (The Militant, February 1972: 19).
The ATF wanted to gather information on Chicano activist groups and they planted Martinez in the Mexican-American Youth
Organization (MAYO) in Houston, TX and the Brown Berets in Kingsville, TX (The Militant, February 1972: 19). Martinez was
transferred from Texas to East Los Angeles in 1970 prior to the August 29th National Chicano Moratorium conference. He quickly
joined the Brown Berets and then ousted Rosalio Munoz’s from his position as Co-Chairman for the National Chicano Moratorium
Committee, eventually placing himself in it (Vigil 1999: 152). Martinez recounted his role as an informant and agent provocateur
specifically on November 13, 1970:
"They told me, you know, that … the main reason they wanted me [in Los
Angeles] was because they wanted me to get the information and
everything – in other words – the purpose was to eliminate all the
organizations. So in order to cause confusion within the organizations, to
provoke incidents… I had pressure [from the ATF]… I was being
pressured, and how come I wasn’t givin’ them information, and how come
there were no bursts, you know?...So I was under pressure, so in order to
get them off my back…by walkin’ out with the rifle so the pigs could see
it, so that was the purpose, to get raided (cited in Vigil 1999: 152)."
Martinez was holding a shotgun outside of the Chicano Moratorium Committee office. Police officers arrived at the scene with their
“weapons drawn and their clubs swinging because someone had paraded with a shotgun on the sidewalk in front of the office. The
person with the gun was Eustacio Martinez. Three people were hospitalized in the aftermath of the raid” (Vigil 1999: 152). As an agent
provocateur, Martinez’s assignment was to intentionally cause violence in order for police officials to have an excuse for raiding and
arresting group members. Martinez was also responsible for inciting violence at the Chicano Moratorium Conference held on January
31, 1971, where one person was shot to death and 13 to 24 others were wounded by gunfire
-The Crusade for Justice: Chicano Militancy and the Government’s War on Dissent, by Ernesto Vigil, pg. 152
Martinez was originally from Texas, where he had been arrested in July 1969 for an illegal weapons charge during a gang bust in
Houston. Martinez was offered a deal by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agency (ATF). The deal entailed that ATF would
eliminate the federal charge as long as he would become an undercover agent for the ATF (The Militant, February 1972: 19).
The ATF wanted to gather information on Chicano activist groups and they planted Martinez in the Mexican-American Youth
Organization (MAYO) in Houston, TX and the Brown Berets in Kingsville, TX (The Militant, February 1972: 19). Martinez was
transferred from Texas to East Los Angeles in 1970 prior to the August 29th National Chicano Moratorium conference. He quickly
joined the Brown Berets and then ousted Rosalio Munoz’s from his position as Co-Chairman for the National Chicano Moratorium
Committee, eventually placing himself in it (Vigil 1999: 152). Martinez recounted his role as an informant and agent provocateur
specifically on November 13, 1970:
"They told me, you know, that … the main reason they wanted me [in Los
Angeles] was because they wanted me to get the information and
everything – in other words – the purpose was to eliminate all the
organizations. So in order to cause confusion within the organizations, to
provoke incidents… I had pressure [from the ATF]… I was being
pressured, and how come I wasn’t givin’ them information, and how come
there were no bursts, you know?...So I was under pressure, so in order to
get them off my back…by walkin’ out with the rifle so the pigs could see
it, so that was the purpose, to get raided (cited in Vigil 1999: 152)."
Martinez was holding a shotgun outside of the Chicano Moratorium Committee office. Police officers arrived at the scene with their
“weapons drawn and their clubs swinging because someone had paraded with a shotgun on the sidewalk in front of the office. The
person with the gun was Eustacio Martinez. Three people were hospitalized in the aftermath of the raid” (Vigil 1999: 152). As an agent
provocateur, Martinez’s assignment was to intentionally cause violence in order for police officials to have an excuse for raiding and
arresting group members. Martinez was also responsible for inciting violence at the Chicano Moratorium Conference held on January
31, 1971, where one person was shot to death and 13 to 24 others were wounded by gunfire
-The Crusade for Justice: Chicano Militancy and the Government’s War on Dissent, by Ernesto Vigil, pg. 152
Manny Lopez, code named “Nacho”, a twenty two year old officer whose primary assignment was to infiltrate the Brown
Berets and keep an eye on the UFW in San Diego. Lopez ‘s notes, and reports from a string of street level informants, were passed
on to FBI agents monitoring the same groups.
Lopez, who today is a private investigator, rose to the rank of Field Marshal of the San Diego Brown Berets and often provided
security for the UFW… In 1970, “Nacho” was one of the security guards escorting Chavez through the Coachella Valley…
During the last week of August 1970, Lopez led the San Diego Berets to East Los Angeles for the historic Chicano Moratorium
march against the Vietnam war. After the police started a riot, Lopez, ironically was among the many arrested and beaten as well.
“While we were marching we would give the police our Brown Beret salute,” Lopez remembers. “The officer who beat me looked at
me afterward and said: “that’s for giving me that salute!”
-The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement, By Susan Ferriss, pg. 154
Berets and keep an eye on the UFW in San Diego. Lopez ‘s notes, and reports from a string of street level informants, were passed
on to FBI agents monitoring the same groups.
Lopez, who today is a private investigator, rose to the rank of Field Marshal of the San Diego Brown Berets and often provided
security for the UFW… In 1970, “Nacho” was one of the security guards escorting Chavez through the Coachella Valley…
During the last week of August 1970, Lopez led the San Diego Berets to East Los Angeles for the historic Chicano Moratorium
march against the Vietnam war. After the police started a riot, Lopez, ironically was among the many arrested and beaten as well.
“While we were marching we would give the police our Brown Beret salute,” Lopez remembers. “The officer who beat me looked at
me afterward and said: “that’s for giving me that salute!”
-The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement, By Susan Ferriss, pg. 154
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