Background on the New Legislation
The Mexican Senate recently approved, with a majority vote, the “Ley del Sistema Nacional de Investigación e Inteligencia en materia de Seguridad Pública,” commonly known as the “Espionage Law.” This new legislation has drawn comparisons to the oppressive surveillance practices of the former East German Stasi secret police.
Geolocation and Judicial Oversight
Some interpretations of the new law suggest that the state could engage in real-time geolocation tracking of citizens. The government has denied this, stating that such investigative activities require a court order. However, critics argue that with Morena controlling the judiciary, these orders would merely be a formality, leaving citizens vulnerable to unwarranted surveillance.
Access to Private and Public Records
The law grants authorities access to both public and private records containing information deemed useful for investigations, such as drug trafficking or money laundering. This includes biometric, telephonic, catastral, fiscal, banking, and hospital data. With the judiciary under Morena’s control, there are concerns that this information could be used for political purposes without proper oversight.
Media Control and Apercimiento
Another recently approved law, the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Act, suggests that the state could suspend media transmissions at its discretion when content or opinions become inconvenient to the government. Government defenders claim that this would not constitute censorship but rather an “apercibimiento” – a warning. Critics view this as a veiled threat to free speech and media independence.
Implications of the New Laws
While these laws may appear impeccable in terms of structure and legal foundation, the concern lies in their potential misuse by a government controlling the judiciary without checks and balances. The new legislative framework empowers the government with discretionary control over citizens and political opponents, pushing Mexico dangerously close to a fascist regime.
- Authoritarian and Anti-Democratic System: The laws establish an authoritarian, anti-democratic system that promotes obedience to the state through demagoguery and suppresses political opposition.
- Economic Anti-Liberalism: The regime advocates for economic policies that are against liberal principles, further consolidating power.
- Growing Militarism, Censorship, and Propaganda: The laws pave the way for increased militarization, censorship, and state-sponsored propaganda.
The approval of this Ley General del Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública by Morena’s majority represents a step towards creating a surveillance state that instills fear and threatens individual liberties. This development raises serious concerns about the potential for gross human rights violations under such a regime.
