"The ability of criminal groups to exercise this type of power and exercise this type of violence is closely linked to firearms trafficking, said Cecilia Farfan-Mendez, an expert on Mexican organised crime. If we want to see less violence in Mexico, this is a very important conversation."
"Mexico's defence minister, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, said the vast majority of weapons seized after El Mencho's capture including a Barrett rifle, a rocket launcher, grenades and mortar rounds had come from across the border. Since the start of the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trejo said, Mexican authorities had seized 23,000 weapons, of which 80% came from the US."
"Mexico has extremely strict gun ownership laws: the country only has two gun stores, both run by the Mexican military, which enforces strict regulation on the purchase of weapons. But in the US, loose gun legislation and a national obsession with firearms mean guns are readily available to buy and traffic south of the border."
El Mencho's arrest sparked brutal violence across Mexico, resulting in 62 deaths as his Jalisco New Generation Cartel members attacked police stations and engaged security forces. Mexican defense minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo confirmed that weapons seized during the operation, including Barrett rifles, rocket launchers, grenades, and mortars, predominantly came from the United States. Since President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration began, Mexican authorities seized 23,000 weapons, with 80% originating from across the border. Mexico maintains extremely strict gun ownership laws with only two military-run gun stores, while the US's permissive firearms legislation enables widespread gun trafficking to criminal organizations. Experts emphasize that reducing cartel violence requires addressing the firearms trafficking pipeline from America.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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