PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos) is the Mexican state-owned oil company, which due to recent criminal events recently expanded and re-design its armed wing, the Strategic Safeguard Subdirectorate, or Subdirección de Salvaguardia Estratégica (SSE) in Spanish. While it was officially created in 2014, the SSE’s core mission is to strengthen security in facilities, assets, and values of PEMEX. These include but are not limited to:

• Marine platforms
• Refineries
• Petrochemical and gas processing complexes
• Liquefied gas distribution terminals and storage terminals
• Distribution of petroleum products (custody service)
• pipelines
• Administrative facilities
• PEMEX officials  *

BUT FIRST, SOME HISTORY

The SSE is structured around three specialized areas which are the Strategy and Security and Monitoring Systems Management (GESSM), Physical Security Management (GSF), and the Strategic Safeguard Technical Management Management (GGTSE). Although the organization is considered new, it has technically existed since 1939 and evolved ever since as:

• 1939 Servicios Confidenciales (Confidential Services)
• 1948 Oficina de Servicios Especiales (Office of Special Services)
• 1977 Unidad de Servicios de Protección y Seguridad (Protection and Security Services Unit)
• 2001 Gerencia de Servicios de Seguridad Física, GSSF (Physical Security Services Management)
• 2014 Subdirección de Salvaguardia Estratégica, SSE (Strategic Safeguard Subdirectorate)

Although SSE and GSSF personnel were occasionally seen in the news outlets during their work fighting fuel theft (huachicoleo), it was not until the 2019 national military parade that the government officially unveiled them as a core asset of the federal forces, since then the SSE boosted recruitment and been more vocal in fuel theft events,  especially since they are the first line of defense against mayor cartels in the business of oil thefts.

CAPABILITIES

Although small in size, the SSE is playing a growing role in national security and therefore is constantly collaborating with other federal agencies, entities, and organizations that are in charge of national security and public safety, mainly with the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) to monitor and protect strategic facilities and the system like national pipeline network, and with the Secretariat of the Mexican Navy (SEMAR), to protect and provide security to strategic facilities and patrol the network of pipelines located on the coasts and maritime areas of the country. They also work with the Federal Protective Service in states like Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Michoacán, Zacatecas, and Estado de México where PEMEX has some of its main refineries and administrative buildings.

Most members of the SSE are ex-military (currently only ex-military members with a certain time of service are accepted). The SSE is among the highest-paying federal security forces in Mexico and is considered among veterans as one of the best organizations to work for, as it has a private pension system, private health care, and some of the newest equipment.

EQUIPMENT AND CAPABILITIES

While they are not technically military, the SSE is the equivalent of a paramilitary light motorized infantry brigade. While their original tasks were mainly force protection, today they do close protection, ISR, convoy duties, and basic maritime operations. Some specializations within the SSE are K9 unit, intelligence and investigation unit, CP units and UAV units. SSE agents are each equipped with a side arm and an assault rifle or a sub-machinegun. Among their equipment they have:

• Anti-fragmentation MICH helmets
• IWI Tavor X95 300 cal 5.56 mm
• Colt SMG cal 9 mm
• IWI Galil ACE 21 cal 5.56 mm
• Beretta AR70/90 cal 5.56 mm
• Mendoza HM-3 cal 9 mm (rarely used)
• UZI cal 9 mm (rarely used)
• Pietro Beretta 92

As for vehicles at one point the SSE bought:

• Pick up trucks 4x4 Ford F-250 XLT Super Duty Crewcab (100s)
• Pick up trucks 4x4 Chevrolet Cheyenne (100s)
• Utility Truck ZIBAR Mk2 (40-30)
• Orbiter 3 STUAS UAVs
• One jet Citation Sovereign
• Three Cessna Citation planes
• One Eurocopter helicopter
• Three Bell 407 helicopters
• Land Rover Defender
• Five Tiger armored cars
• One jet Gulfstream G550

(Informativo del resultado de la fiscalizacuon superior de la cuenta pUblica 2015 and OSINT)

While there are no indications that they have an armored fleet, the SSE vehicle is equipped with a front bumper, winch, turret with patrol lights, siren and speaker, radio, roll bar, satellite positioning system, and recording and reconnaissance equipment.

The SSE’s Strategic Safeguard School Center (ESE) offers short basic training and advanced courses on IEDs, patrolling and surveillance, physical security in oil facilities, intelligence collection, investigative skills, and executive protection.

CONCLUSION

As Mexico enhances its security institutions it is likely we will continue to see the SSE growing, alongside other new and old federal agencies in charge of securing national interests.