Pre-Positioned Army Snipers Fired at Mexico Demonstrators in ‘68, Book Says
MEXICO CITY — Pre-positioned soldiers--not protesters--fired on a huge demonstration in Mexico City just 10 days before the opening of the 1968 Olympics, according to papers of a former defense secretary.
Government critics have argued for decades that soldiers were responsible for the Tlatelolco massacre and fired from tall buildings as about 300 people where shot to death during an anti-government protest in Mexico City.
The government originally said only 29 people died, and it accused Communist agitators of firing the shots on Oct. 2, 1968. It claimed soldiers fired in self-defense. Many protest organizers were imprisoned.
Officials have repeatedly denied claims by witnesses that government snipers fired on the crowd from nearby apartment towers.
But the magazine Proceso published excerpts from a soon to be published book, “War Report,” that bolster the claims.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
