Mexico filed Monday, October 10 before the American justice a new complaint against the arms industry in the United States, which the Mexican government accuses of fueling the violence of drug traffickers on its territory.
Filed in an Arizona court, this second complaint targets five arms companies based in this state bordering Mexico, said Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
These companies have sold “
in recent years
” weapons linked to “
very serious crimes
”, according to Marcelo Ebrard.
Already an action in August 2021
A total of 60% of the weapons seized in Mexico were purchased in a dozen American counties, mostly along the border, according to the minister.
"
If the United States asks us to help them (...) and to work together against fentanyl
(note: an opiate at the origin of mass overdoses in the United States)
(...) we want to also that they help us by reducing this flow of weapons which is doing us a lot of harm
”, pleaded Marcelo Ebrard.
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The complaint is based on a new American law penalizing nominees who buy weapons for a third party, the minister had indicated last week before the Senate.
A federal judge in Massachusetts on September 30 dismissed a first lawsuit from Mexico accusing major US arms manufacturers of encouraging violence by Mexican drug traffickers.
In August 2021, Mexico filed this unprecedented lawsuit against nine US manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt, Glock, Century Arms, Ruger and Barrett.
Mexico has announced its intention to appeal.
Some 340,000 people have died violently since 2006 in Mexico, when the government deployed the military to fight drug cartels.