Perspectives: Mexico's Ongoing Lawsuit With US Gunmakers
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Mexican government filed a federal lawsuit against 10 U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors on Aug. 4 in Massachusetts federal court, accusing the companies of "actively facilitating" the trafficking of those weapons to "drug cartels and other criminals in Mexico." The Mexican government is seeking up to $10 billion from gun manufacturers, saying at least 17,000 homicides were linked to trafficked weapons in 2019. According to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, about 70% of guns found in Mexico and submitted for tracing from 2014 through 2018 originated in the U.S. Mexico has strict laws around gun sales for private use. Given that, some Americans have made a profit by legally purchasing guns and then re-selling them to Mexican trafficking organizations for high prices.
Most voices across the spectrum agreed that the lawsuit would be an uphill battle for the Mexican government. Many left-rated voices believe that the case could help decrease gun violence both in the U.S. and Mexico, arguing that the 2nd Amendment has been protecting these gun manufacturers and that the law needs to be updated. Right-rated voices were more likely to take the stance that the Mexican government is blaming the unchecked crime and corruption in their country on "law-abiding firearm manufacturers" in the U.S.
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