Ken • April 21, 2026 7:33 AM

Since Mexico is nearly a narco state at this point I am more worried that this would be used by the cartels than the government. But even so Mexico can do what it wants within it borders. It’s a sovereign country. Besides, have you seen our country lately?

Clive Robinson • April 21, 2026 8:45 AM

@ ALL,

Is it me or is this “eyes everywhere” nonsense now at the point where it’s just another “Solar Road” nonsense “technology for technologies sake” even though it’s not really going to do much of anything at all.

A simple thought for people,

In most places “street crime” has over all been dropping for the last 20years or so. Simply because it does not actually pay in most places… So it’s only the idiots, drunks and druggies…

Now with dropping crime rates what do you seriously expect extra camera’s will do what basic statistics clearly showed they did not do before… That is even in the early days CCTV did not stop street crime it just “moved it along” to somewhere else where cameras were not.

Now have a look at these “mega contracts” they promise all sorts of “New Technology” but the reality is they are delivering less and less whilst costing more and more…

Many are just hopping onto the AI Hype Bandwagon in various ways. But the reality is they are making a false promise they can replace expensive manpower with even more expensive equipment, and somehow be more productive in a time of falling street crime…

What these systems will become is for catching people for “New / Thought Crime” and the like. That is “New Crimes” will be invented for “Church Reasons” so “Witches can be hunted” (We’ve already seen this nonsense start with women’s health issues and it will only get worse with time).

Oh and “revenue raising” that is “fines as punishments” for crimes designed to bring in maximum revenue.

So expect scratching an itchy backside in public to get you a $1000 fine and record for “Public lewd behaviour” or similar.

Rontea • April 21, 2026 10:35 AM

Pervasive surveillance systems like Plataforma Centinela in Ciudad Juárez exemplify the core dilemma of modern security: every gain in monitoring capability comes at a cost to civil liberties. Cameras, drones, and license plate readers expand law enforcement’s reach, yet they also create an infrastructure ripe for abuse and mission creep.

Security systems designed without transparency or strict oversight rarely remain limited to their original purpose. Data collected for crime prevention can quickly migrate to political or commercial use, and once the surveillance apparatus exists, it is almost impossible to scale back. True security isn’t just about stopping crime—it’s about preserving the freedom and privacy that define public trust. Without proper checks, we risk trading liberty for the illusion of safety.

Fran • April 21, 2026 1:21 PM

I would have to agree with Ken.

Mexico is a failed narco-state where the drug mafia has infiltrated and corrupted all the government’s institutions. The three pillars of their economy are corporations seeking to avoid tariffs (Sony boxes their TVs in Mexico to avoid tariffs), illegal drugs, and illegal aliens in the US “sending money back home”.

Therefore, we would have to conclude that this surveillance tech will be used by the cartels to spy on the government or competitors.

As an aside, I have no proof, but would still bet money that the NSA is completely, albeit surreptitiously, plugged right into this system. After all, how “high tech” can a Mexican system possibly be?