Luis Fernando García
@luisfgarcia.bsky.social
Fighting digital authoritarianism.
Co-Founder and former Executive Director at @r3d.mx
Co-Founder and former Executive Director at @r3d.mx
The reforms will be rushed through Congress in the coming two weeks. We'll see if there are any more last-minute surprises.
One thing is clear. Sheinbaum's government is all in on mass surveillance. We'll see if the most progressive factions in her government will go along (and lament it later).
One thing is clear. Sheinbaum's government is all in on mass surveillance. We'll see if the most progressive factions in her government will go along (and lament it later).
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
The reforms will be rushed through Congress in the coming two weeks. We'll see if there are any more last-minute surprises.
One thing is clear. Sheinbaum's government is all in on mass surveillance. We'll see if the most progressive factions in her government will go along (and lament it later).
One thing is clear. Sheinbaum's government is all in on mass surveillance. We'll see if the most progressive factions in her government will go along (and lament it later).
It is unclear, but reasonable to assume, that these tools are being encouraged by the US or at least will benefit the US and Mexico's joint efforts to persecute migrants.
Even without official cooperation, I would assume US intelligence will tap immediately into all these surveillance systems.
Even without official cooperation, I would assume US intelligence will tap immediately into all these surveillance systems.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
It is unclear, but reasonable to assume, that these tools are being encouraged by the US or at least will benefit the US and Mexico's joint efforts to persecute migrants.
Even without official cooperation, I would assume US intelligence will tap immediately into all these surveillance systems.
Even without official cooperation, I would assume US intelligence will tap immediately into all these surveillance systems.
This will only be the beginning. Once this authoritarian digital infrastructure is in place, new projects will be possible, such as mass facial recognition video surveillance, electoral manipulation and much more.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
This will only be the beginning. Once this authoritarian digital infrastructure is in place, new projects will be possible, such as mass facial recognition video surveillance, electoral manipulation and much more.
Also, the Mexican Army (the one caught using Pegasus against journalists, human rights defenders, and even public officials) in the last three governments will get new, broad intelligence gathering powers.
It is both an admission that military intelligence was illegal and a final capitulation.
It is both an admission that military intelligence was illegal and a final capitulation.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Also, the Mexican Army (the one caught using Pegasus against journalists, human rights defenders, and even public officials) in the last three governments will get new, broad intelligence gathering powers.
It is both an admission that military intelligence was illegal and a final capitulation.
It is both an admission that military intelligence was illegal and a final capitulation.
No judicial oversight is foreseen for access to these tools or the raw data.
The data protection and transparency bodies were eliminated.
The courts are about to come under the government's control.
People won't know they were surveilled. Abuses will go undetected. Impunity will prevail.
The data protection and transparency bodies were eliminated.
The courts are about to come under the government's control.
People won't know they were surveilled. Abuses will go undetected. Impunity will prevail.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
No judicial oversight is foreseen for access to these tools or the raw data.
The data protection and transparency bodies were eliminated.
The courts are about to come under the government's control.
People won't know they were surveilled. Abuses will go undetected. Impunity will prevail.
The data protection and transparency bodies were eliminated.
The courts are about to come under the government's control.
People won't know they were surveilled. Abuses will go undetected. Impunity will prevail.
Access to these tools and much (if not all) of the raw data will be available to many federal authorities and even to state and municipal police.
Many of these authorities have been found to have links to organized crime in the past, so measures sold as solutions to crime will likely backfire.
Many of these authorities have been found to have links to organized crime in the past, so measures sold as solutions to crime will likely backfire.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Access to these tools and much (if not all) of the raw data will be available to many federal authorities and even to state and municipal police.
Many of these authorities have been found to have links to organized crime in the past, so measures sold as solutions to crime will likely backfire.
Many of these authorities have been found to have links to organized crime in the past, so measures sold as solutions to crime will likely backfire.
The reforms hint that they will use "AI" and "predictive policing" software to analyze all this information.
Following the trend of militarization, these tools will not only be at the disposal of the intelligence agency but also the Mexican Army.
Following the trend of militarization, these tools will not only be at the disposal of the intelligence agency but also the Mexican Army.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
The reforms hint that they will use "AI" and "predictive policing" software to analyze all this information.
Following the trend of militarization, these tools will not only be at the disposal of the intelligence agency but also the Mexican Army.
Following the trend of militarization, these tools will not only be at the disposal of the intelligence agency but also the Mexican Army.
Not only that, the government will create a Central Intelligence Platform that will combine ALL public and private databases, including biometric, phone records, tax , property, financial records, you name it.
Musk's and Thiel's wet dream realized, but by a self-identified left-progressive govt.
Musk's and Thiel's wet dream realized, but by a self-identified left-progressive govt.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Not only that, the government will create a Central Intelligence Platform that will combine ALL public and private databases, including biometric, phone records, tax , property, financial records, you name it.
Musk's and Thiel's wet dream realized, but by a self-identified left-progressive govt.
Musk's and Thiel's wet dream realized, but by a self-identified left-progressive govt.
Shamefully, the government attempted to frame this as a tool to find disappeared persons (+100k people). The government promised collectives that this tool was only for that. They lied.
In a last-minute addition, Congress gave the national intelligence agency "unfettered access" to the platform.
In a last-minute addition, Congress gave the national intelligence agency "unfettered access" to the platform.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Shamefully, the government attempted to frame this as a tool to find disappeared persons (+100k people). The government promised collectives that this tool was only for that. They lied.
In a last-minute addition, Congress gave the national intelligence agency "unfettered access" to the platform.
In a last-minute addition, Congress gave the national intelligence agency "unfettered access" to the platform.
For example, in another set of reforms, the government creates a "Unique Identity Platform" which will essentially interconnect every public and private database and monitor the use of a CURP in real time and provide immediate alerts to authorities when a selected CURP is used for anything.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
For example, in another set of reforms, the government creates a "Unique Identity Platform" which will essentially interconnect every public and private database and monitor the use of a CURP in real time and provide immediate alerts to authorities when a selected CURP is used for anything.
Once everyone's activities are logged and associated with a CURP, it is possible to correlate everyone's information to operate mass surveillance systems.
And that is precisely what Sheinbaum's government attempts to do in many ways.
And that is precisely what Sheinbaum's government attempts to do in many ways.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Once everyone's activities are logged and associated with a CURP, it is possible to correlate everyone's information to operate mass surveillance systems.
And that is precisely what Sheinbaum's government attempts to do in many ways.
And that is precisely what Sheinbaum's government attempts to do in many ways.
Even though Mexico's Supreme Court already said it is unconstitutional, the government again seeks to require the CURP ID to purchase a SIM Card.
Mandatory SIM card registration does nothing against organized crime; they have plenty of ways to elude it, but everyone else will be registered.
Mandatory SIM card registration does nothing against organized crime; they have plenty of ways to elude it, but everyone else will be registered.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Even though Mexico's Supreme Court already said it is unconstitutional, the government again seeks to require the CURP ID to purchase a SIM Card.
Mandatory SIM card registration does nothing against organized crime; they have plenty of ways to elude it, but everyone else will be registered.
Mandatory SIM card registration does nothing against organized crime; they have plenty of ways to elude it, but everyone else will be registered.
The proposed reforms even require CURP ID to authenticate and validate the identity of persons in "digital media", which could pose severe restrictions to online anonymity.
Moreover, if you don't have a CURP (ie. migrants) or biometric ID fails, you will be left in a highly vulnerable position.
Moreover, if you don't have a CURP (ie. migrants) or biometric ID fails, you will be left in a highly vulnerable position.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
The proposed reforms even require CURP ID to authenticate and validate the identity of persons in "digital media", which could pose severe restrictions to online anonymity.
Moreover, if you don't have a CURP (ie. migrants) or biometric ID fails, you will be left in a highly vulnerable position.
Moreover, if you don't have a CURP (ie. migrants) or biometric ID fails, you will be left in a highly vulnerable position.
Secondly, it will be mandatory to require the CURP ID for EVERY public or private(!) service, without exception.
Although it is unclear how this would actually work, technically, everyone would be requested to ID themselves for everything, leaving a record of everyone's public activities.
Although it is unclear how this would actually work, technically, everyone would be requested to ID themselves for everything, leaving a record of everyone's public activities.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Secondly, it will be mandatory to require the CURP ID for EVERY public or private(!) service, without exception.
Although it is unclear how this would actually work, technically, everyone would be requested to ID themselves for everything, leaving a record of everyone's public activities.
Although it is unclear how this would actually work, technically, everyone would be requested to ID themselves for everything, leaving a record of everyone's public activities.
First, Sheinbaum's government will make biometric identification mandatory for all Mexicans and foreigners entering Mexico, associating them with a unique ID number (CURP).
These will build a massive centralized biometric database that will be the basis of other mass surveillance systems.
These will build a massive centralized biometric database that will be the basis of other mass surveillance systems.
June 25, 2025 at 9:59 PM
First, Sheinbaum's government will make biometric identification mandatory for all Mexicans and foreigners entering Mexico, associating them with a unique ID number (CURP).
These will build a massive centralized biometric database that will be the basis of other mass surveillance systems.
These will build a massive centralized biometric database that will be the basis of other mass surveillance systems.