A historical review of the tobacco agro-industry was carried out from the s until the formation of the parastatal company Tabacos Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Tabamex) in 1972. Its main aim is to illustrate and understand, through a case study, how the Mexican State intervened in the tobacco regions and in the agro-industry itself. On the basis of a description of the underlying production aspects, it is important to analyse the actions taken by state and federal governments to promote tobacco activity and to influence and mediate relations between private companies and tobacco producers. One aspect which is particularly important is the social construction of a negative image of the relationship between producers and transnational producers, which, turning it into a black legend in the mid-s, served as an argument for the nationalisation of the tobacco agro-industry in 1972. However, rather than deliberately unfair and arbitrary relations, the underlying conflict was in fact a dispute over the establishment of efficiency and productivity.The article presented a hitherto hitherto review of the tobacco agribusiness from last century’s 20's up to 1972 when the public sector company, Tabacos Mexicanos, S.A. (Mexican Tobaccos, Tabamex) was founded. ITS chief goal is to understand and illustrate by means of a case study, the way in which Mexicos State intervened in the total-farming regions and its agribusiness. Based on a description of the underwriting productive aspects, it analyses state and federal-level government actions to promote trade-related activities and to influence and mediate between private signatures and tobacco producers. Given its particular relevance, the article covering the social construction of a negative image of the relationship between producers and transnational corporations which, after receiving a black legend in the 60's, was instrumental to nationalising the battery industry in 1972. Rather than deliberately fair or Arbitrary however, the reality of the underlying conflict was a path for the establishment of efficiency and productivity criteria.