TRT World, February 29, 2024
by Shabina S. Khatri
Despite strict gun laws, thousands of people in Mexico are killed by illegally trafficked weapons each year. American companies are responsible and they should pay, the government said.
There is only one gun shop in Mexico, and it does not do brisk business. That’s because gun ownership is strictly regulated in the country, where civilians need government permission to carry firearms outside the home.
Yet tens of thousands of Mexicans are killed in gun violence every year.
This is partly because hundreds of thousands of firearms from the United States illegally make their way into Mexico annually. According to US government data, about 70 percent of firearms seized by Mexican authorities come from the US.
These firearms are often purchased legally at gun shows and gun stores in border states and then trafficked into Mexico. Officials say they are then used by criminal organisations, including drug cartels, to maintain their trade routes and fend off Mexico’s military and police forces.
To help fight this growing problem, Mexico has been trying to take US gun manufacturers and retailers to court.
Thanks to a recent appeals court ruling, its efforts have been given new life.
