Human control and discrimination: responding to the challenge of drone-bombing by organized criminal groups in Mexico

Abstract

This article addresses the challenge of drone bombing by organized criminal groups in Mexico as a surging but unregulated phenomenon. It is argued that, while the Government is using a law enforcement approach, drone bombing, which intensifies the nature of confrontations, falls under certain circumstances under the regime of international humanitarian law. This results in the need to consider the difficulties that autonomous weapons systems pose in situations of armed conflict. Accordingly, the article examines human control and discrimination as key issues in the international debate around autonomous weapons systems. Based on this discussion, the article brings forward some proposals to inform a domestic legal framework applicable to drone bombing in Mexico –and autonomous weapons at large– in consistency with the State´s international obligations and the domestic policy framework.