The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) assured this Wednesday that it will continue actions against six of eight arms manufacturing companies, whose products are sold and entered illegally into Mexican territory to arming organized crime gangs.
In addition, the Mexican Foreign Ministry said that is considering whether to sue the gun shops but in other American courts.
In July 2023, a legal team for the Mexican government indicated that it was continuing to pursue litigation against the US arms industry in an appeals court in Boston, Massachusetts, after a judge dismissed its lawsuit seeking a $10 million compensation.
On Wednesday, a judge in the United States District Court in Massachusetts dismissed Mexico’s lawsuitarguing that it does not have jurisdiction to evaluate the responsibility that the Mexican Foreign Ministry attributes to the six arms manufacturers (Barrett Firearms, Beretta USA, Century International Arms, Colt’s Manufacturing, Glock and Strum, Ruger) for profiting from the illicit trade of arms that enter Mexican territory.
“The Mexican government takes note of the decision of the federal judge in Boston on Wednesday regarding the lawsuit filed by our country. As this is a broad litigation strategy, the next steps to follow will be analyzed,” the SRE said in a statement.
The Mexican government takes note of the decision of the federal judge in Boston on Wednesday regarding the lawsuit filed by our country. As this is a broad litigation strategy, the next steps to follow will be analyzed.
It is important to note that the demand…
— Foreign Affairs (@SRE_mx) August 7, 2024
The Foreign Ministry said that “it is important to highlight that the Mexico’s lawsuit in Boston continues against two companies: Smith and Wesson and Interstate Arms”, and that this decision “does not affect the lawsuit against these two companies nor absolve the other six companies of liability.”
He also said that “the actions against these six companies continue. Mexico is considering, among other actions, whether to file an appeal or file a lawsuit in other U.S. courts.”
Since October 2020, the Mexican government began a litigation against several arms dealers and argued that, according to traceability data, they “facilitate the trafficking of high-powered weapons” to the country with which organized crime gangs arm themselves.
The Mexican government has told the United States that it is essential prevent the manufacture and trafficking of such weapons since they are part of the violence in Mexico and the thousands of homicides, femicides and disappearances.
