Oh, Mexico
Et tu, Mexico (see post below):
Mexico’s strict gun control laws are contributing to an illegal gun market and easier access to weapons, according to U.S. law enforcement officials that are close observers of a recent upswing in border violence.
Since January, more than 600 people have been killed in an ongoing war between rival drug cartels using high-powered handguns and assault rifles fighting for control of drug smuggling routes on the Texas-Mexico border.
Federal gun seizures show that a majority of weapons used in violent crimes in Mexico were smuggled into the country from the United States or bought through other sources in a lucrative black market.
The folks doing the blaming this time are Americans. I was rather curious about gun laws in Mexico. The story notes:
Mexican law requires its citizens to apply for a permit from the Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA) before they can buy a handgun or rifle for hunting or self-defense.
SEDENA officials could not be reached for comment. The agency’s Web site shows applicants must submit to a background check as well as provide verification of employment and several references.
Federal agents that asked not to be identified for security reasons said the permitting process in Mexico is expensive and approval to buy a handgun or rifle (that must be .22-caliber or smaller) can take up to a year.
In the United States, the Brady law requires federally licensed gun dealers to run background checks on all buyers; the process usually takes seven days or less.
At the same time, Mexican law also prohibits gun owners from carrying their weapons in public. Texas gun owners can carry weapons if they have a concealed handgun permit.
According to SEDENA, Mexico has only two licensed gun manufacturers, compared to almost 200 in the United States.
August 17th, 2005 at 3:30 pm
And don’t forget to get rid of your guns before trying to enter Mexico. Even if you tell them that you have a gun, they’ll charge you with gun smuggling.
Remember what the most powerful party in Mexico is called? The Permanent Revolutionary Party. What they mean by “permanent” is that there aren’t going to be any more revolutions – not if they can manage to round up enough guns, anyhow.
August 17th, 2005 at 6:00 pm
PRI stands for “Partido Revolucionario Institucional,” or Institutional Revolutionary Party. Prior to Vicente Fox’s election in 2000, they sure seemed permanent, but AFAIK they’ve never openly advertised that fact in their name.
August 18th, 2005 at 6:25 am
American guns, Mexican violence
Here’s more proof that the gun grabbers are taking their fight international. Just a few weeks after Canadians blamed America for “half” their illegal guns, we are also being blamed for the proliferation of guns in “gun free” Mexico. Since…