An Unknown Enemy

An Unknown Enemy explores the origins of the Mexican dirty war 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 1960s youth counterculture, the preparations of 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and the upcoming 1970 Mexican general election.

The second season covers the aftermath of movement, el halconazo, the guerrilla groups and barrientos return on the power.

The series received mostly mixed reviews.{{Cite web |title=Un Extraño Enemigo ya tiene primeras críticas y reacciones |url=https://www.tomatazos.com/articulos/348878/Un-Extrano-Enemigo-ya-tiene-primeras-criticas-y-reacciones |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=Tomatazos |language=es}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Un extraño enemigo y la conspiración diazordacista |url=http://www.laizquierdadiario.mx/Un-extrano-enemigo-y-la-conspiracion-diazordacista |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=La Izquierda Diario |language=es}}

The series is produced by filmmaker Gabriel Ripstein,{{Cite web | url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/natasha-ahonda-en-drogas-y-violencia | title=Natasha ahonda en drogas y violencia|website=Eluniversal.com.mx| date=2018-12-28}} who is also one of its executive producers and writers, and is starring award winner actor Daniel Giménez Cacho as Fernando Barrientos.{{Cite web | url=http://pulsoslp.com.mx/2018/09/27/gimenez-cacho-en-un-extrano-enemigo/ | title=Giménez Cacho en "Un extraño enemigo"|website=Pulsolp.com.mx}} It also stars:

• Antonio de la Vega as Interior Minister Luis Echeverría{{Cite web|url=https://news.culturacolectiva.com/mexico/un-extrano-enemigo-la-serie-de-amazon-que-habla-de-los-politicos-en-el-68/|title=¿Quieres saber qué pensaban Díaz Ordaz y Luis Echeverría en el 68?|date=September 27, 2018|website=News.culturacolectiva.com}}
• Fernando Becerril as Mexico City Mayor Alfonso Corona del Rosal{{Cite web | url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/farandula/fer-becerril-se-vuelve-un-extrano-enemigo | title=Fer Becerril se vuelve. Un extraño enemigo|website=Eluniversal.com.mx| date=2018-06-16}}
• Hernán Del Riego as Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz{{Cite web|url=https://news.culturacolectiva.com/mexico/un-extrano-enemigo-serie-de-amazon-que-habla-del-presidente-diaz-ordaz-y-el-68/|title=¿Qué harías si revivieran al presidente Gustavo Díaz Ordaz?|date=August 13, 2018|website=News.culturacolectiva.com}}
• Karina Gidi as Mrs. Esperanza Barrientos{{Cite web |url=https://suracapulco.mx/2018/09/27/retratan-en-serie-las-maniobras-politicas-que-llevaron-a-la-masacre-de-tlatelolco/ |title=Retratan en serie las maniobras políticas que llevaron a la masacre de Tlatelolco - el Sur de Acapulco I Periódico de Guerrero » el Sur de Acapulco I Periódico de Guerrero |access-date=2019-01-08 |archive-date=2018-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928044438/https://suracapulco.mx/2018/09/27/retratan-en-serie-las-maniobras-politicas-que-llevaron-a-la-masacre-de-tlatelolco/ |url-status=dead }}
• Kristyan Ferrer as Beto a shady student leader{{Cite web | url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/television/kristyan-ferrer-revoltoso-del-68 | title=Kristyan Ferrer, revoltoso del 68|website=Eluniversal.com.mx| date=2018-08-11}}
• Andrés Delgado as David an important activist leader,{{Cite web | url=http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/cine/comandante-1968-una-serie-sobre-el-movimiento-estudiantil | title="Un extraño enemigo", una serie inspirada en lo ocurrido durante el 68 en México|website=Eluniversal.com.mx| date=2018-04-26}} loosely based in the renowned journalist and writer Luis González de Alba.{{Cite web | url=https://www.timeoutmexico.mx/ciudad-de-mexico/cine/conoce-a-los-personajes-reales-y-ficticios-de-un-extranyo-enemigo | title=Los personajes reales y ficticios de Un extraño enemigo|website=Timeoutmexico.mx}}
• Irene Azuela as Elena, Commander Barrientos' assistant, right hand and secret lover.{{Cite web | url=https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/escena/irene-azuela-rechaza-glorificacion-de-la-mujer/ | title=Irene Azuela rechaza glorificación de la mujer|website=Heraldodemexico.xom.mx| date=2018-09-27}}

• Rojo Amanecer (Award-winning 1989 Mexican film focusing on the same subject, from the perspective of the repressed students)
• Winston M. Scott (CIA chief depicted in the series){{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8961996/fullcredits | title="Un extraño enemigo" Comandante (TV Episode 2018)|website=IMDb.com}}
• CIA cryptonym (The main character was part of the CIA's LITEMPO Spy network)

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.primevideo.com/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.72b2c888-329c-480e-9660-c7a9b416defb?ref=dvm_pds_gen_MX_kc_s_g%7Cc_293530366447_m_mxgUEkhe-dc_s__ Official website]

{{Amazon Prime Video original series|state=collapsed}}

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Category:Television series set in the 1960s

Category:2010s American crime drama television series

Category:Works based on actual events

Category:Television shows set in Mexico

Category:2018 American television series debuts

Category:Serial drama television series

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