The Mexican government has launched yet another lawsuit against American businesses it holds accountable for the importation of illicit guns into Mexico. The first case, which was just dropped, was directed against American firearms producers. The second appears to be directed against gun dealers, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, who said it was filed in Arizona on Monday.
We are suing them because, according to Ebrard, “there is definitely a pattern. We claim that it is plain that there is arms trafficking and that it is known that these guns are headed to our nation.
Last week, Ebrard stated that the new lawsuit will target gun stores or dealers in border areas of the United States that sell firearms to “straw” buyers who then sell them to smugglers who then transport the weapons into Mexico.
According to Ebrard, the majority of the guns recovered in Mexico in recent years were mostly sold near the border but also in 10 other U.S. counties. Despite the country’s extremely strong gun control laws, drug cartel violence has recently claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Mexico.
In a hearing before the Mexican Senate last week, Ebrard stated, “We are going to establish that many of these stores where they sell these things in these counties I named, are dealing with straw purchasers, and criminal charges have to be filed.”
A recently passed U.S. legislation criminalizes straw purchases and imposes punishments of up to 25 years in prison if the violation is connected to narcotics trafficking.
A U.S. federal court dropped Mexico’s initial complaint against American gun makers a few days before to the announcement. Ebrard predicted that Mexico will challenge the ruling.
The judge determined that Mexico’s claims could not be upheld in light of the extensive defense offered to gun manufacturers under the 2005 law known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
By protecting them against harm caused by “the illegal or unlawful abuse” of a firearm, the legislation protects gun makers.
Mexico was suing for at least $10 billion in damages, but legal professionals thought there was little chance of success.
According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Mexican government believes that 70% of the firearms transported into Mexico originate in the United States. It said that at least 17,000 homicides in Mexico in 2019 alone were connected to trafficking guns.
