Mexico
Mexico is a medium sized country in North America. It is bordered by the United States, a major power in the Second World War, to the north,
Guatemala and the
United Kingdom's British Honduras to the south. It is mostly mountainous with jungle on the south, desert on the center and Baja California and forests and plains on the coast.
Historical Background[edit | edit source]
By the start of Hearts of Iron IV, Mexico is not in the best of shape, having been racked by nearly twenty years of chaos and infighting by this point. In 1876, president Porfirio Diaz seized power in a political coup and would go on to rule continuously until 1911, a period known as the Porfiriato. After the collapse of Porfirio Diaz's regime in 1911, Mexico fell into a long and bloody civil war known as the Mexican Revolution that would last for a full decade until finally dying down by 1920. This was followed by the Cristero War which erupted in 1926 due to a controversy over the relationship between church and state, and lasted until 1929. Only thereafter did some semblance of peace and stability return to Mexico, beginning with president Plutarco Calles' rule in 1924-1928 and followed by the Maximato in 1928-1934.
By the start of HOI4 in 1936, Mexico has begun to slowly make some progress of recovery, but the regime is still unstable and if things go wrong, Mexico could very well suffer another civil war, the third one thus far. As such, one will need to manage their cards right and maneuver their way through the unstable Mexican politics until the issues plaguing the country can be ironed out.
After the sinking of Mexican merchant ships by German U-Boats and the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941, Mexico was one of the first American nations to announce its support for the United States. It severed ties with the three major powers of the Tripartite Pact and officially joined the war on the side of the Allies in 1942, providing essential resources and men to the USA, most notably the 201st Squadron, or the "Aztec Eagles".
Events[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Mexican events
National focus[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Mexican national focus tree
Mexico gets a national focus in the
Man the Guns DLC. Without the expansion, Mexico uses the Generic national focus tree.
The Mexican national focus tree can be divided into 2 Branches and 4 Sub-branches:
- National Bank Branch
- This branch focuses on infrastructure, removing the threat of the Caudillo civil war or changing the political party to
Communism.
- Military Budget Review Sub-branch
- This Sub-branch focuses on military technology.
- Oil Field Expansion Sub-branch
- This Sub-branch deals with foreign relations with major countries and joining their faction.
- Plan of Agua Prieta Branch
- This branch focuses on switching the political party to either
Democracy,
Fascism or
Communism. The
Fascist or
Communist focuses increase or decrease Church Power respectively.
- Control the Army Sub-branch
- This sub-branch deals with increasing or decreasing the power of the Church.
- March Southwards Sub-branch
- This sub-branch gives war goals against other countries within the Americas.
Technology[edit | edit source]
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Mexico starts with 2 research slots.
Cosmetic names[edit | edit source]
Mexico has many unique cosmetic names for its equipment, listed here. Note that generic names are not listed.
Type | 1918 | 1936 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 |
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Infantry Equipment | Mondragón M94 | Mondragón M08 | Mendoza C-34 | Mendoza RM2 |
Tech year | Close Air Support (Carrier) | Fighter (Carrier) | Naval Bomber (Carrier) | Heavy Fighter | Tactical Bomber | Strategic Bomber | Scout Plane |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1933 | Tololoche | Azcárate | |||||
1936 | Zeus | Quetzalcóatl | MA-260 | Celia Fighter | Celia Bomber | Celia Heavy Bomber | |
1940 | Tezcatlipoca | Teziutlán | Chalchiuhtlicue | Salinas Fighter | Salinas Bomber | Salinas Heavy Bomber | |
1944 | Tonatiuh | Huītzilopochtli | Tlaloc | Aura Fighter | Aura Bomber | Aura Heavy Bomber | |
Jet Engine Technology | |||||||
1945 | |||||||
1950 |
Politics[edit | edit source]
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In 1936, Mexico is a Non-Aligned nation. Its elections are every 6 years with the next one being in June 1940.
Mexico has the following political parties:
National spirits[edit | edit source]
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Political Power gain: -20%
Construction Speed: -10.00%
Diplomacy[edit | edit source]
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Mexico is guaranteed by the United States.
If Mexico is puppeted by the United Kingdom, Mexico will change its name to the Dominion of Mexico, regardless of what ideology the United Kingdom was at the time they did this. Note that it will not change its name to this if Mexico is annexed and then released by the United Kingdom.
Through its March Southwards focuses, Mexico can gain cores on all of Central America, all of the Caribbean, and the South Western United States (the old Mexican Cession). It can also gain a core on British Honduras through the focus "Purchase Belize".
Staff and designer[edit | edit source]
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Designer | Type | Effect | Cost (![]() |
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Talleres Generales de Arma | Tank Designer |
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75 |
German-Mexican Tank Designs | Heavy Tank Designer |
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150 |
Russo-Mexican Tank Designs | Mobile Tank Designer |
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150 |
Mexican Chrysler | Medium Tank Designer |
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150 |
Economy[edit | edit source]
Laws[edit | edit source]
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Conscription Law | Economy Law | Trade Law |
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Industry and resources[edit | edit source]
Type | No. | |
---|---|---|
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Aluminium | 0 |
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Chromium | 0 |
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Oil | 46 |
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Rubber | 0 |
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Steel | 14 |
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Tungsten | 10 |
Type | No. | |
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Civilian factory | 8 |
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Military factory | 3 |
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Naval dockyard | 2 |
- Industry
- Mexico has a small industry mainly centered around Mexico City which has 2 Military factories and 4 Civilian factories. Guerrero, Tamulipas, Jalisco have one Civilian factory each. Coahuila has 1 Military factory and 1 Civilian Factory. Veracruz and Durango have 1 Dockyard each.
- Resources
- Coahuila has 11 Oil, Tamaulipas has 12 Oil, Veracruz has 13 Oil, Oaxaca has 10 Oil, Jalisco has 10 Tungsten, Mexico City has 9 Steel and Guerrero has 5 Steel.
Military[edit | edit source]
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Mexico has a modest military with a small navy and tiny air force.
Type | No. | |
---|---|---|
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Infantry | 19 |
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Cavalry | 2 |
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Total divisions | 21 |
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Manpower used | 94.80k |
Type | No. | |
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Destroyer | 5 |
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Heavy Cruiser | 1 |
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Convoy | 45 |
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Total combatants | 6 |
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Manpower used | 3.05k |
Type | No. | |
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Close air support | 12 |
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Fighter | 6 |
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Tactical bomber | 6 |
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Total planes | 24 |
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Manpower used | 0.60k |
- Army
- Mexico's infantry divisions contain 9 infantry battalions each with support artillery. It also contains some agrarian militia units of 3 infantry battalions each. Its cavalry divisions contain 6 cavalry battalions with support artillery.
- Navy
- Mexico's starting navy consists of a coastal defense heavy cruiser with no anti-air defenses and five early destroyers, one of which has no anti-air defenses and can be retrofitted.
- Air force
- Mexico's starting air force consists of 12 close air support planes, 6 tactical bombers and 6 fighters.
Commanders[edit | edit source]
Name | Rank | Skill | Traits |
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Lázaro Cárdenas | Field Marshal | 3 | ![]() |
Heliodoro Charis | General | 3 | ![]() |
Luis Farell | General | 3 | ![]() |
Gildardo Magaña | General | 3 | ![]() |
Manuel Pérez Treviño | General | 3 | ![]() |
Abelardo L. Rodríguez | General | 3 | ![]() |
Manuel Ávila Camacho | General | 3 | ![]() |
Name | Rank | Skill | Traits |
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Othón P. Blanco Núñez de Cáceres | Admiral | 2 | ![]() |
Heriberto Jara Corona | Admiral | 1 | ![]() |
Military Staff[edit | edit source]
These are the Military Staff candidates for appointment in Mexico.
Strategies and guides[edit | edit source]

Mexico starts on the brink of a civil war. There are 3 possible civil wars that can break out, and you will need to deal with 2.
Caudillos Civil War: This is the starting tension you have to deal with. You have to pay attention to the Caudillo Tension national spirit which indicates the level. You can see the timer in the Political tab to see when the tension increases. Once Caudillo Tension High is reached if you let the timer finish once more the Caudillo civil war will ignite. There are multiple focuses you can get to lower the tension by one stage. To put a stop to this permanently you need to complete Support General Cedillo or Arrest General Cedillo focus. If you don't go Revanchist route and pick both Agricultural Credit Bank and Jefe Máximo line of focus, the Caudillo Civil War will be unavoidable. Letting it happen and defeating the rebels will also prevent it from happening again.
Cristeros Civil War and Communist Revolutionaries Civil War: Once you have completed a certain focus, you will get a chance to get either. These civil wars have multiple trigger to ignite, mainly the Church power level and the type of government. The Cristeros will not rebel if you choose to go Democratic path and likewise the Revolutionaries will not rebel if you go Communist. If you don't go Democratic, the Cristeros Civil War will start a countdown once you reach Atheist State, and likewise if you don't go Communist then the Revolutionaries Civil War will start a countdown once you reach Catholic State. Since some focuses will increase or decrease the Church Power by one stage, you need to pay attention to this, and you can also use some political decision to increase or decrease the Church Power though some requires some focuses to be taken first. You can ultimately prevent this civil war regardless of Church Power by keeping your stability above 60%. Likewise you can get away with Atheist State if you go Democratic and Catholic State if you go Communist with no risk of civil war which is not possible to do for Unaligned or Fascist path.
A Mexico game involves a balancing act between an "Atheist State" and a "Catholic State". Going to either one of these extremes will begin the countdown for a civil war. It is recommended that you complete the "Antidisestablishmentarianism" Focus, which allows you to transfer lands to the Church. You start with nationalization of Church lands decision, so you can add or remove influence from the Church, stopping you from erupting into Civil War.
If you are planning on going the expansionist route, I would recommend, as soon as the games starts, boosting ideologies in the Central American democracies, such as Honduras. This is because that since the United Kingdom has a stake in South America via Belize, they will guarantee other Democracies in their vicinity, thus dragging them into a war with you. Boosting ideologies will allow these minors to change government which means you can attack them almost without fear. If you go fascist, join the Axis as if the Democratic countries change to fascist, they will not be able to join the Axis because they you are in there. You should beware, however, because these countries, even if they are not Democratic, may still join other alliances such as the Allies. So don't get too greedy in conquest.
Trotsky’s Communist Revolution[edit | edit source]
Mexico’s alt-history paths are some of the most interesting in the whole of Hearts of Iron. In this guide, Mexico can turn the whole of Central and South America red and be prepared to take on the USA before Japan declares war, and they join the Allies.
Change of Government and Avoiding Civil War[edit | edit source]
In this playthrough, Mexico runs the risk of two different civil wars. One by the revolt of General Cedillo if the timer runs out and the second through the Catholic Church, if the national spirit Atheist State is active and stability falls below 60%. A civil war is fairly easy to win but timing is critical so war is not recommended.
At game start, rush the focus The Red Shirts on the far right of the political focus tree to start building support for communism. For the second phase of this playthrough, it is important to research transport equipment and marine technology.
Political power gained during this phase of the game should be spent on boosting stability. In practice, picking the decisions Improve worker conditions and Prosecute clergymen twice each should be sufficient to get the player above the important 60% stability mark.
After completing The Red Shirts focus, the next step is to complete the focus Arrest General Cedillo.
Three events will pop up at random during this early phase of the game. One involves Trotsky’s arrival in Mexico. Trotsky should be invited to join the government which makes him available as a Chief of Army with bonuses to support for communism and division organization.
The two remaining events are related to the church and stability, with the player selecting the choice which increases the church’s strength.
With Trotsky in government, the next foci to select is Spanish Civil War Refugees and Support Spain’s Loyalists. The two give bonuses and should boost communist popularity to over 40% percent and unlocking the Communist Revolution which changes government and makes Trotsky leader of the communist party.
Mexico also gains the decision to support Republican Spain in the Spanish Civil War which can give army or navy experience. Sending a military attache to China is another way to gain army experience for the tougher wars ahead.
Painting the Americas Red[edit | edit source]
The nations of Central America and the Caribbean are weak compared to Mexico and with the benefit of 55 day war goals, they can all be quickly and easily conquered.
Timing is crucial and at this phase of the game, Germany should be making aggressive moves against Czechoslovakia. The player can choose to conquer South America at the risk of fascist Venezuela or Peru joining the Axis or the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.
In my playthroughs; Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru can be conquered before the German war against Poland.
An alternate path is to rush the foci, Bolivarian Alliance and Invite Brazil which adds a national spirit to all South American countries boosting support for communism.
War with the USA[edit | edit source]
In this phase the player should do the two foci State Education and Rural Schools which add research slots while also building Mexico’s economy and army. It is feasible to be a major before the USA joins the war on the side of the Allies.
If the player chose to conquer South America, the path Bolivarian Alliance and Invite Brazil should come next. With the benefit of spies, support for communism can be boosted in every South American country and therefore turning them communist. Brazil and Argentina are the two most important nations to ally for their reasonably sized navies.
With regards to army composition, three to four full armies should be sufficient to crush the Yanquis. Fast units with an emphasis on cavalry, motorized and light tanks can quickly encircle the starting US units without sparing them time to build. Aircraft are crucial to establish air superiority, conduct close air support and naval bombing missions.
A strategy which has worked for me is to attack Texas with one army, attack the west coast states with a second army and attempt a naval invasion of Florida while holding a defensive line in the Rockies mountain range. The US will attempt naval invasions so it is a good idea to garrison your ports.
In-game the US does feel big, compared to similarly sized real word nations like Australia or China but with the advantage of your fast units, they can be easily defeated.
With the Yanquis crushed, the player has the industrial and military might to spread the revolution to the rest of the world.
Achievements[edit | edit source]

North America |
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South America |
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Africa |
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Oceania |