SECRET ARMIES
110
The
documentary record I have of their tie-up is a
Rodriguez wrote to Ford s manager on September 27, 1934,
on Gold Shirt stationery. The letter merely asks Brunei to give
jobs to two "worthy young men" and is written in a manner
that shows Rodriguez and Brunet are rather close.
By February 7, 1935, Rodriguez and the Ford executive in
Mexico had become sufficiently intimate for the fascist leader
to express his appreciation of Brunet s placing Gold Shirts in
the plant. His letter addressed to the manager of the Ford
earliest
letter
Company
We have
follows:
been informed by our delegate, Senora N. M. Colunga, that she
was very well treated by you and that in addition you informed her that our
request for work for some of our comrades who needed it has also been
heard. Not doubting but that this will be fulfilled, A.R.M. [the Gold Shirts]
sends you the most expressive thanks for having seen in you the recognition
of one of the greatest obligations of humanity to Mexicanism.
On November
19,
1935, shortly before the
Gold
Shirts felt
they were powerful enough to attempt the overthrow of the
Mexican Government and the establishment of a fascist dictator
ship, Rodriguez wrote to the manager of the Ford plant, asking
for the two ambulances which had been promised the fascists
by the Ford manager. Rodriguez had organized his attempted
Putsch carefully, with a women s ambulance corps to care for
the
wounded
in the expected fighting.
The
letter,
again trans
lated almost literally, follows:
Sr.
Manager
of the Ford
Company
Nov
-
X9
^SS-
City
Highly Esteemed Senor:
This will be delivered to you personally by Sr. General Juan Alvarez C.,
who comes with the object of ascertaining if that company would be able to
supply two ambulances which they had already offered, for the transportation
of the
Women s
Sanitary Brigade on the aoth day of this
Thanking you in advance for the references, I am happy
am at your command. Affectionately and attentively, S. S.
month
at 8 A.M.
to repeat that I
NICHOLAS RODRIGUEZ C.
Supreme Commander.