- The Office of the Legal Advisor and the Archives of Diplomatic History of the Foreign Ministry organized a conference on illicit arms trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean
- Academics, civil society and government officials from the region discussed the key actors involved in arms trafficking and the actions undertaken by Mexico to prevent it, against the backdrop of the U.S. arms industry
Public officials, academics and civil society attended a conference yesterday on illicit arms trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean at the former College of Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco. They discussed how to conduct a responsible and transparent arms trade with the involvement of consumers, companies and governments in the U.S. and other countries, and the different faces and consequences of illegally trafficking U.S.-sourced arms in Latin America and the Caribbean, which fuels homicides and violence in the region essentially caused by transnational organized criminal groups and facilitates drug and human trafficking. They also discussed the political context surrounding the sale of high-powered firearms in the United States. Jonathan Lowy, President of Global Action on Gun Violence, gave a presentation on his organization, which promotes a responsible arms trade in the U.S., the country with the world's most powerful arms industry.
The conference was held in conjunction with Mexico's lawsuits against U.S. gun companies, whose business practices encourage arms trafficking to Mexico, which endangers the safety of Mexican families. Mexico's legal actions are consistent with its diplomatic tradition of promoting innovative initiatives for peace and security, and of seeking a responsible and people-centered arms trade.
The conference was chaired by Alejandro Celorio, Legal Advisor, and Laura Beatriz Moreno, Director General of the Archives of Diplomatic History, both from the Foreign Ministry; Mariana Aparicio, Academic Coordinator of the UNAM Faculty of Political and Social Sciences U.S.-Mexico Binational Observatory; Oscar Lorenzo Arnold, Ambassador of Belize, and Jonathan Lowy, President and Founder of Global Action on Gun Violence.
