The Mexican government has sued some of the biggest US gun manufacturers, accusing them of fuelling bloodshed through reckless business practices.
The lawsuit alleges that the companies knew they were contributing to illegal arms trafficking, which has been linked to many deaths. Officials say Mexico is seeking as much as $10bn in compensation, though any amount would be decided by the court.
They include Smith & Wesson and Barrett Firearms, among others. The lawsuit was filed yesterday in the US state of Massachusetts. Mexico said the companies had used “marketing strategies to promote weapons that are ever more lethal, without mechanisms of security or traceability”.
Mexican officials stressed that the lawsuit was not aimed at the US government. Mr Ebrard said he believed the President Joe Biden’s administration was willing to work with Mexico to curb arms trafficking. But experts have cast doubt on Mexico’s likelihood of success with the lawsuit.
