Hillary Clinton, at the Merida Banking Convention: "The US is exporting its bad arms policy to Mexico"

Former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during the 86th edition of the Banking Convention, in Mérida (Yucatán), this Friday. Rommel Pacheco (RR SS)

The gigantic arms market in the United States provides facilities for drug cartels and organized crime in Mexico to easily arm themselves, former US Secretary of State and former first lady Hillary Clinton said Friday.

In a conversation with the president of the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM), Daniel Becker, and during the last day of the 86 Banking Convention in Mérida, Clinton assured that the relationship between Mexico and the States can improve if more information is shared between countries and the narratives that dominate are changed.

Current US gun policy "does not address the fact that guns in the wrong hands is very serious," Clinton said.

“It is the leading cause of death among young people and children, more than car accidents, diseases or other types of problems, and it has to do with this gigantic arms market.

Of course criminals and cartels are going to cross the border to buy weapons because it's easy to do so."

Clinton assured that it is an issue that is urgent to address.

“Why are we exporting our terrible gun policy?

It's really terrible how people can use guns, have guns, without considering their mental status or their criminal history."

On Tuesday, US President Joe Bien signed an executive order that seeks to tighten controls on firearms sales.

The initiative aims to make it more difficult for guns and rifles to end up in the hands of people with mental health problems, criminal records or domestic abuse.

Drug trafficking is no longer just a bilateral issue between Mexico and the US, Clinton suggested, since it is known that illegal drugs today also come, in whole or in part, from China and other countries.

In addition, the authorities should pay attention to the fact that some legal drugs that can be bought in pharmacies have been found to contain illegal substances such as fentanyl.

Trafficking in this powerful and addictive drug has strained relations between the two countries in recent months.

On Wednesday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador proposed at a press conference that the use of the opioid for medical purposes be prohibited in both countries and replaced by alternative analgesics, in order to control its circulation and availability.

"The drug trade is a problem that goes beyond the drug trade and I don't think this is something that we are taking seriously enough and we are understanding the cost that this represents in both countries," Clinton said this week. Friday.

In response to Becker's express question: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the relationship between Mexico and the US?"

Clinton responded: "I give it a six."

“We are both just coming out of the impact of the pandemic, we are adapting to the continuous challenges,” he noted, “we have presidents who have a good relationship, who are in a positive dialogue.

I believe that the relationship is improving, however, there are many things that we can do, but it requires things that are not only the responsibility of the Government”.

Clinton suggested changing the narratives about both countries that dominate among their citizens and in the media.

“For example,” she noted, “I don't think Americans know how well the Mexican economy is doing, but there are a million and a half Americans who live here and there's a reason.

It requires that there be more and better information going from one side to the other, rather than just a static image,” she added.

“There are many things we could do to improve the relationship.”

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