Martha Martínez and Claudia Salazar/ Reform Agency
Thursday, February 09, 2023 | 06:49
CDMX.- The Army will control the entire aeronautical operation chain after yesterday’s approval of the Law for the Protection of the Mexican Airspace, with which the Sedena remains as the authority in charge of monitoring and providing protection to the Mexican airspace in matters of National Security.
The military builds the new airports, manages them, polices customs, will operate a government airline and will now police the national airspace.
In addition, the military will coordinate the operation and services of traffic, information and security of air navigation.
With 263 votes in favor, 26 against MC and 195 abstentions from the “Va por México” coalition, the plenary approved the new Law for the Protection of Airspace promoted by AMLO.
At the head of the National Center for Surveillance and Protection of the Airspace, the Sedena will coordinate actions to protect the airspace against threats and those related to transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, asset laundering, arms trafficking and connections, and even corruption.
The law establishes the creation of a Surveillance and Protection System of the Mexican Airspace, which will be coordinated by the Army and in which the Secretary of the Navy participates, thus relegating it to civil authorities.
The Federal Civil Aviation Agency and the Navigation Services in the Mexican Airspace, which depend on the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation, remain in the background.
In addition, the Surveillance System also includes the Secretaries of Security and Citizen Protection, with the National Guard and the National Intelligence Center, and the Interior with the National Institute of Migration.
The new law provides for the operation of the National Center for Surveillance and Protection of the Mexican Airspace, which will depend on the Sedena. Its task will be to carry out alerting actions, air interception, identification, monitoring of traces of interest and emergency aircraft assistance in Mexican airspace.
The PAN deputy from Guanajuato, Ricardo Villarreal, president of the National Defense Commission, went up to the rostrum to defend the law, although he abstained from voting.
“Every 76 hours a security alert is reported for activities of organized crime aircraft,” he justified.
Deputies from Movimiento Ciudadano voted against it, noting that it is a new measure that gives more power to the Armed Forces.
“They seek to militarize the sky,” said deputy Sergio Barrera, of the National Defense Commission.
