Mexico's $10B Gun Lawsuit Against US Makers Revived
Mexico's $10B Gun Lawsuit Against US Makers Revived
The Facts
The lawsuit alleges that American gun makers, including Smith & Wesson, Colt, and Glock, facilitate the trafficking of weapons to Mexican drug cartels, contributing to increased gun violence in Mexico.The US Supreme Court agreed on Friday to hear Smith & Wesson v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, a bid to end a billion-dollar lawsuit from the Mexican government against US firearm manufacturers.
Mexico claims that between 342,000 and 597,000 weapons produced by the defendants are trafficked into the country each year, with 70% to 90% of guns recovered from crime scenes originating from the United States.This comes as companies and more than two dozen Republican state attorney generals asked the Supreme Court earlier this year to intervene in the case to prevent years of costly litigation for the gun industry.
The Spin
TheThis lawsuitruling is misplaceda andhuge baseless.step Theforward Mexicanin governmentholding shouldthe focusgun onindustry bringingaccountable drugfor cartelsits contribution to justicegun inviolence Mexicanand courtroomsstopping insteadthe flood of scapegoatingtrafficked guns to cartels. It pierces the firearmunfair industrylegal forshield theirthat unwillingnessgun tocompanies protecthave Mexicanbeen citizenshiding behind since 2005. The casedecision deflectsrecognizes attentionthe fromright Mexico'sof disgracefulanother andcountry corruptto failuresue toUS addressgun itscompanies internalfor issuestheir role in facilitating illegal gun trafficking.
The lawsuit is misplaced and baseless. The Mexican government should focus on bringing drug cartels to justice in Mexican courtrooms instead of scapegoating the firearm industry for their unwillingness to protect Mexican citizens. The case deflects attention from Mexico's disgraceful and corrupt failure to address its internal issues.
