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Federales is a slang term inEnglish andSpanish languages referring tosecurity forces, particularly those of thefederal government of Mexico. The term gained widespread usage by English speakers due to being popularized by films asThe Wild Bunch,The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,Guns of the Magnificent Seven,Blue Streak, the television drama seriesBreaking Bad and its spinoff prequelBetter Call Saul, as well as the song "Pancho and Lefty" byTownes Van Zandt. The term is a cognate and counterpart to the slang "Feds" in theUnited States.
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The term is traditionally used for certainlaw enforcement agencies of thefederal government of Mexico, such as theNational Guard and its predecessor, theFederal Police, as well as theFederal Ministerial Police and any of its predecessors, theFederal Investigations Agency andFederal Judicial Police.[citation needed]
Historically, "Federales" was also the common term used for the regularMexican Army (orFederal Army), especially during the 34-year rule ofPorfirio Díaz until 1911. In part the expression served the purpose of distinguishing centrally controlled military units from provincial militias, or the rural mounted police (rurales). Following Díaz's overthrow by rebel forces led byFrancisco Madero, the Federal Army remained in existence. TheFederales were eventually disbanded in July and August 1914, after Madero's successorVictoriano Huerta was in turn defeated by an alliance of revolutionary forces.[1] The formal dissolution of the Federal Army was decreed by theTeoloyucan Treaties, signed on August 13, 1914.[2]