On October 15, 2026, the Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional published its new Code of Conduct in the Diario Oficial de la Federación, marking the first time it regulates the use of social media, digital media and artificial intelligence tools by its personnel. The document, signed by General Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, establishes that public servants shall refrain from disseminating official or institutional information through any medium, including digital channels or AI tools, without the corresponding authorization.

The measure covers generals, chiefs, officers and enlisted personnel, as well as civilian, temporary and fee-based staff, according to the text published in the DOF. According to El Universal, the code also calls for avoiding any action that discredits the institutional image through statements, actions or interaction with the public on social media or digital media. The document distinguishes between the use of AI tools and the dissemination of information: the restriction focuses on publishing without authorization, not on the day-to-day handling of those tools.

For the Mexican community in North America, Sedena is one of the institutions with the greatest operational presence in the country, and much of the security information circulating in English and Spanish comes from its official channels. How it filters its digital communication shapes what reaches Mexican and binational families who follow the issue.

The code also includes other provisions:

  • Refrain from agreements or negotiations that could compromise the sovereignty, patrimony or good image of the Mexican State, as published by La Jornada. - Report conflicts of interest in writing to the immediate superior. - Do not obstruct complaints through threats or pressure.

General Trevilla Trejo stated in the document that integrity is non-negotiable and described the code as the foundation of public service. The Ethics Committee will handle cases that transgress the established principles, and all personnel have a duty to report irregular conduct.

The full text is available in the DOF and compliance is mandatory as of its publication. The Ethics Committee will be the body that receives complaints for non-compliance.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.