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U.S. judge dismisses Mexico’s lawsuit against American gun manufacturers

Mexico City, Mexico — A U.S. judge has dismissed Mexico’s $10 billion dollar lawsuit against American gun manufacturers. On Friday, a U.S. federal judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Mexico.

The suit sought to hold U.S. arms manufacturers responsible for making it easier for drug cartels to traffic weapons across the border. The ruling was handed down by Boston District Judge F. Dennis Saylor.

Saylor said federal law “unequivocally” prohibits lawsuits that seek to hold gun manufacturers liable when people use guns for their intended purpose. He also added that although the law contained several specific exceptions, none were applied.

“While the court has great sympathy for the people of Mexico and none for those who traffic weapons for Mexican criminal organizations, it is duty-bound to uphold the law,” Saylor wrote as part of his decision.

Saylor said that Mexico’s claims did not overcome the broad protection provided to gun manufacturers by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed in 2005, which shields gun manufacturers from damages “resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse” of a firearm.

On August 4, 2021, the federal government of Mexico filed a lawsuit before a Massachusetts District Court against 10 large arms companies, accusing them of negligent practices and of being aware that their products are illegally trafficked into the country to supply organized crime groups.

In April of this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) published the documents of the litigation that the federal government initiated against U.S. companies that manufacture and distribute weapons, which “actively facilitates the illicit trafficking of weapons to Mexico.”

Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said it would appeal the Friday decision “and continue insisting that the sale of guns be responsible, transparent and accountable, and that the negligent way in which they are sold in the United States facilitates criminals’ access to them.”