‘The visa remover’: Christopher Landau’s scrutiny of Mexican social media accounts

On the social media network X, U.S. Deputy State Secretary Christopher Landau presents himself as a defender of democracy. His online persona is a combination of Superman, the Boy Scouts and Batman. He even uses his own version of the “bat signal,” with the logo of the State Department projected over the Spanish words “El Quitavisas” (“the visa remover”). His alter ego — with the help of politicians, journalists, online users, bots and far-right provocateurs — has taken on the mission of revoking visas from all foreign citizens who he deems to be acting against U.S. interests.

Two recent targes of this practice include Arlín Medrano, a pro-Palestinian activist, and Salvador Ramírez, former coordinator of Social Communications for Mexico’s ruling MORENA party in the Chamber of Deputies. Both Mexican citizens agree that Washington operates a machine that seeks to criminalize dissent and differing ideologies.

Landau operates in a draconian manner on X. His style is reminiscent of the dystopian society described by George Orwell in his novel, 1984. For instance, his Orwellian eye went after comments that “glorified violence and hatred” following the murder of MAGA youth leader Charlie Kirk. “I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action. Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention so that the @StateDept can protect the American people,” he posted on X.

Ramírez, 26, was born in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes. A few weeks ago, he participated in a panel discussion on a national television network. In his remarks, he alluded to the murder of Kirk — an ally of Donald Trump — who was shot in the neck during an event at Utah Valley University. The youth leader, who campaigned for the Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential elections, was a staunch defender of the right to bear arms. The then-coordinator of MORENA stated that Kirk “got a taste of his own medicine… [as] someone who promoted the use of guns.” Faced with a wave of reactions, including from Landau, Ramírez resigned from his position. He then publicly apologized to the deputy secretary of state and to the American people.

A little over a month after the incident, Ramírez reflects on what happened. From his apartment in Mexico City, he tells EL PAÍS that the reaction of the U.S. government isn’t personal, but rather a “direct, deliberate and interventionist [disciplinary method]” that the neighboring country to the north is exercising over Mexico and Latin America.

He still blames himself for his statements. He says it was an “ethical and moral” mistake on his part, since he considers himself to be “very humanist.” However, he adds that his words were “taken out of context.” He criticizes the United States’ stance, particularly since the country claims to be the embodiment of “freedom.”

“Why does the United States have to censor what we say in Mexico, what we say in our own region?” he asks. “We shouldn’t have to worry about whether our words will bother them. It’s terrible. If we don’t say what they want, they subjugate us with this modern, digital [form of] disciplining [people].”

Ramírez doesn’t want to talk about his current immigration status. He says that he did receive a notification via the media, but nothing official. “I haven’t checked, because I’ve found that my visa situation isn’t the most important issue,” he emphasizes.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Medrano, who is originally from the Mexican state of Nayarit, was part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, one of the missions that attempted to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza. She also had a digital clash with Landau on X.

After arriving back in Mexico alongside five other Mexican nationals following their repatriation from Israel, the student of Political Science and Public Administration at the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) declared on social media that the US is a “genocidal state” that carries out “ethnic cleansing” against Mexicans. She was referring to the ICE raids and detention of undocumented immigrants in that country. The post provoked an immediate response from Landau, with the announcement that the young woman’s visa would be revoked. Hours later, she reaffirmed her position and stated that “if telling the truth prevents me from entering your country, I wear it like a badge of honor.”

Medrano spoke with EL PAÍS at The Gate of Resistance and Life, an “anti-monument” that honors Palestine, located next to the Benito Juárez Hemicycle, in Mexico City’s Alameda Central Park. She tells this newspaper that she has never applied for a U.S. visa since her deportation at age 12, when she and her mother were treated like criminals simply for “seeking a better life.”

“The visa truly serves no purpose. I understand that it’s essential for those who need to go to [the U.S.] to study or work. We [should] never criminalize any type of migration, but it’s important to stop placing such significant weight on going to the United States,” she affirms.

“Nobody migrates for pleasure,” she adds. “Migration always stems from a need related to the exploitation of the Global South — our own countries — by the Global North.”

Medrano believes that Landau’s position and that of the United States are “a single machine” that seeks to criminalize protest, dissent and different ways of thinking, as in the case of Palestine. “We’ve seen how, around the world, the far right is intolerant of criticism. This simultaneously creates a dilemma… [there’s] a lack of agreement regarding what’s happening in the world. And we’re not just talking about Palestine, but also our migrant brothers and sisters, the Global South, as well as what’s happening in Latin America almost every week, where we see different forms of interventionism,” she clarifies.

Medrano says it’s essential to understand the importance of social media. In this realm, people have been led to believe that dissenting voices don’t matter, but, at the same time, authorities like Landau fight to “own them.”

“We see how biased the algorithm is. And, at the same time, [we can see] the value of our posts; we’re certainly being heard by those major decision-makers. It’s crucial to raise our voices, but not only on social media: while it’s necessary, it’s not enough. We have to take to the streets, we have to protest. And we have to keep seeking spaces for dissent and spaces to reach new audiences,” she adds.

Both Ramírez and Medrano agree that, despite the ongoing political situation, with the United States exerting pressure via tariffs, in order to impose its agenda and interests, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration has been able to navigate the turbulent situations that Trump has laid in front of it.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico, through a statement posted on X, has sought to clarify some important points regarding visa cancellations. It emphasizes that a visa “is a privilege” and not a right. The same statement indicates that this permit can be canceled at any time, when the circumstances justify it. It notes that the State Department can cancel a visa if it determines that the holder has committed certain violations, such as overstaying their authorized period in the United States, participating in criminal activities, posing a risk to public safety, engaging in activities related to terrorism, or supporting terrorist groups. “For privacy reasons, these decisions are not made public. The affected person is informed directly,” said David Arizmendi, spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy.

Despite the ridicule that they have both received on social media, including from some sectors of the Mexican population and from figures opposed to MORENA, Ramírez believes that what happened to him or Medrano could happen to anyone. Meanwhile, leaks about the cancellation of government officials’ visas surface periodically, stirring up a hornet’s nest in Mexican politics. Sheinbaum’s administration has tried to downplay the alleged lists that are circulating.

Meanwhile, Landau keeps a watchful eye on his visa-revoking bat signal. He appears to be all-seeing, in order to protect U.S. interests.

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