The Mexican government is suing several leading gun manufacturers in the United States, alleging their business practices lead to weapons smuggling across the border, and deaths in Mexico.
In the lawsuit, Mexico’s government alleges top manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Colt and Glock know their practices facilitate arms trafficking. Mexico estimates 70% of the illegal guns in the country come from the United States, including those smuggled from Texas and other border states.
Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard traveled to El Paso Tuesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the Walmart mass shooting. During an interview after a remembrance ceremony, he said Mexico built a case based on the link between guns sold in the United States and deaths in Mexico. The Mexican government estimates at least 17,000 thousand murders involved trafficked guns in 2019.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in U.S. federal court in Massachusetts, where a leading gun distributor is based.
