The Mexican Revolution's MATA HARI

THE TRUE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS AND ELUSIVE HELENE PONTIPIRANI

- LYNDA A. SÁNCHEZ

THE elements of this story are as old as war—a beautiful spy, betrayal, a warning given and not taken, a pistol left for protection and the destruction of a town—and created one of the most unusual of victories for the revolutionaries in war-torn Mexico. No one, until it was too late, could believe that Helene had deceived them, and so easily. Above all others, Rosa King felt the betrayal more acutely. General Victoriano Huerta “turned to Helene, standing beside me, radiant with triumph and more beautiful than ever. And as he bent low over her hand I little realized what I had done to him and to myself by introducing her…”

The hotel became a neutral, engaging and elegant setting for many years after Rosa King restored it and made it the centerpiece of the plaza in Cuernavaca. Federales revolutionaries, President Huerta and opposing generals felt safe and welcome there. It also became the headquarters for the treacherous Helene and her espionage activities. – COURTESY AUTHOR’S COLLECTION –

Posing as a journalist, Helene doubled as a spy for Pancho Villa and Zapata, thus making her vulnerable in a world dominated by men, and yet that very vulnerability brought her great power and success. As with so many spies, there are, to date, no known photos of the woman, although descriptions of Helene are quite dramatic. She was “dark and fascinating” as a classic beauty who had no qualms about trading sexual favors for military information. As a periodista (journalist) she was given access to military and civilian power centers, and social gatherings.