- The Massachusetts District Court will hear the civil lawsuit filed by the Mexican government on August 4 against gun manufacturers and distributors for willfully engaging in negligent business practices that encourage illegal arms trafficking to Mexico.
- The Government of Mexico will now present its legal arguments and the evidence supporting its claim, including the role played by the defendants and their products in the armed violence in Mexico.
On August 4, 2021, the Government of Mexico filed a civil lawsuit against nine arms manufacturers and two arms dealers in the Massachusetts District Court.
Two weeks after filing the suit, most of the companies named have been formally notified. They must now file a response within the allowed time limit. At that point, the Massachusetts court will determine when to hear the merits of the case, in addition to other procedural issues. The Government of Mexico will have the opportunity to present its legal arguments and the evidence it has compiled to document the causal link between the defendants' actions and their effect on violence and security in Mexico.
The lawsuit is part of the broad strategy followed by the Mexican government for years that is aimed at stopping arms trafficking, which includes, but is not limited to, collaboration at the highest level with the US government; initiatives in international forums such as the United Nations and the Organization of American States; and continually increasing the controls on the northern border. The lawsuit complements this strategy by addressing the origin of the guns and the actions of those who design, manufacture and sell them.