Mexico City, Mexico – Mexico on Friday condemned the United States Supreme Court’s decision to strike down a lawsuit against major U.S. gun makers for boosting the illegal arms trade.
On June 5, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed Mexico’s lawsuit, saying that a U.S. law, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which shields gun manufacturers from liability for crimes committed with their weapons, protected gun companies from Mexico’s claims.
Since 2021, the Mexican government has launched a legal battle to curb the flow of firearms into the country, as the guns manufactured by U.S. companies end up in the hands of violent drug cartels who have plunged the country into violence.
President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Friday saying:
“The Supreme Court’s argument is that they find no link between the manufacture of weapons and their trafficking to Mexico. However, the U.S. government itself has published documents that recognize that 75% of the illegal weapons in Mexico come from their country.”
Indeed, the U.S. has reported that over 70% of illegal firearms seized in Mexico came from north of the border.
However, according to the Supreme Court, the relation between gun manufacturers and illegal gun trade and violence in Mexico stems from “indifference, rather than assistance.”
“Mexico’s complaint does not plausibly allege that the defendant manufacturers aided and abetted gun dealers’ unlawful sales of firearms to Mexican traffickers,” read an excerpt from the hearing.
On June 5, Mexico’s Foreign Ministry condemned the decision and expressed its strong disagreement with the ruling.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly disagrees with the decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court and will continue to do everything in its power to curb illicit arms trafficking, exhausting all available legal and diplomatic remedies.”
The Secretary also said that today’s Supreme Court decision does not affect the course of the second lawsuit filed by Mexico in Tucson, Arizona, in 2022 against five gun stores.
“Mexico has presented solid arguments that demonstrate the harm that arms manufacturing companies cause to our country, and will continue in its fight against arms trafficking and the responsibility of the companies that manufacture and allow the flow of weapons to continue to fuel violence and feed the criminal groups that threaten the peace and security of Mexican families.”
Featured image from Mexico’s armed forces on X
