There isn't firm evidence as to who's behind these bots, but the focus on the anti-government camp suggests that it's the Peña Nieto administration silencing critics. That could make it difficult to overcome this attempt to protect the status quo, especially since Twitter has so far pledged to deal with pro-government abuse only when people report it. If there's any consolation, it's that Twitter's emphases on unique posts and personal connections should bring the most important tweets to the forefront -- demonstrators can push back against the bots simply by acting like humans.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo]