McMaster: Russia interfering in Mexican election

National security adviser H.R. McMaster says there are early signs of Russian interference in Mexico’s upcoming presidential election.

Providing the keynote address for the Jamestown Foundation, McMaster pointed to Mexico as an example of where Russia is engaging in a disinformation campaign.

“You’ve seen actually initial signs of it in the Mexican presidential campaign already,” McMaster said in previously unreported remarks made during the Dec. 15 address. His comments were first highlighted on Sunday by Mexico’s Reforma newspaper.

Mexico’s presidential election will take place in July.

{mosads}McMaster’s comments came in response to a question about the “growing relationship” between Russia and China. He also referenced the Catalan independence referendum last year as another case of Russian meddling.

“For example with Russia we are concerned, increasingly concerned, with these sophisticated campaigns of subversion and disinformation and propaganda. The use of cyber tools to do that,” McMaster said.

“As you see, this is really a sophisticated effort to polarize democratic societies and pit communities within those societies against each other and create crises of confidence and to undermine the strength within Europe.”

His comments come as special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional committees investigate Russia’s attempts to meddle in the United States election and any potential ties between President Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin.