• This Monday, Foreign Secretary Ebrard will lead a Security Council debate
  • The North American leaders recently pledged to protect their communities from the harm done by arms trafficking
  • The lawsuit brought by the Foreign Ministry against arms manufacturers advances

On Monday, under Mexico's presidency of the UN Security Council, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard will lead a Security Council open debate on the impact of the diversion and trafficking of arms on peace and security.

Mexico's aim will be to call on the permanent and non-permanent member countries to strengthen cooperation and joint action to prevent and counteract the illegal practices present in the global  small arms and light weapons market.

Mexico promotes actions in various forums and organizations against arms trafficking because it fuels the violence in our country. The arms are used to commit thousands of homicides in Mexico every year.

The debate this Monday comes just days after the North American Leaders' Summit between Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, U.S. President Joseph Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At the Summit, which took place last Thursday in Washington, D.C., the three countries committed to protecting our communities from the harms emerging from the arms trafficking facing North America.

"Hundreds of thousands of firearms cross into Mexico annually, empowering transnational criminal organizations and generating irreversible damage to society," says the Joint Statement by the three countries.

“To address these issues and protect our communities from the harms emerging from the global illegal drug environment and firearms trafficking facing North America, we need a comprehensive, coordinated approach. We commit to continue addressing these issues ted to continuing to address these issues via venues like the North American Drug Dialogue in 2022 and beyond,” reads the statement.

Mexico's lawsuit against arms manufacturers advances

In an exercise of transparency, the Foreign Ministry reports that, in accordance with the calendar agreed on between the parties, the defendants will deliver no later than November 22 their response to the lawsuit filed against them by Mexico on August 4 in a Massachusetts federal court.

The government anticipates that, in accordance with the procedure for civil suits in U.S. courts, the companies will put forward various legal defenses to try to defeat the lawsuit, such as questioning whether the Government of Mexico can bring suit in the United States, saying that US law grants them immunity against civil lawsuits that sue for damages, and by holding the Government of Mexico responsible for the damages described in the litigation.  

 The Foreign Ministry, in coordination with other federal agencies, is preparing the arguments and evidence to respond in court to the defense presented by the defendants.

The Government of Mexico will present its reply on January 31, 2022, after which the companies will reply to the court on February 28.

 It should be noted that, as part of the litigation strategy, the observations made by the defendants in their response brief will be addressed specifically in the reply brief and in court, rather than by responding to them in public statements.

The Government of Mexico reaffirms its commitment to joining forces to build world peace by effectively preventing arms trafficking and diversion.