U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared before the Senate this Tuesday amidst a packed agenda: war with Iran, disputed war powers with Congress, and—incidentally—Mexico. During the hearing, Rubio asserted that Mexican cartels could use their drones against U.S. targets: “Mexican cartels are using drones against one another, and we must assume that, at some point, they could even use them against us—against our interests.”
This appearance marked Rubio’s first before Congress since the outbreak of hostilities with Iran on February 28. The official framed the threat as part of a global challenge: “It is a widespread problem. It is happening every day, all over the world.”
The warning regarding drones is neither new nor unique to Rubio; indeed, the use of this technology by criminal groups in Mexico is a well-documented fact. What is significant, however, is the timing of the statement and the political landscape upon which it lands.
