Mexico wins appeal in lawsuit against US gunmakers filed in Boston
MND Staff
January 23, 2024
The Mexican government's lawsuit is the first made by a foreign country against U.S. gun manufacturers and the Foreign Affairs Ministry estimates it could be worth as much as US $10 billion in damages. (Smith & Wesson Inc./Facebook)
A United States appeals court ruled Monday that a US $10 billion lawsuit filed by Mexico against U.S.-based gun manufacturers in 2021 can proceed, annulling a lower court’s dismissal of the case.
The Boston-based United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned Judge F. Dennis Saylor’s dismissal of the case against gunmakers including Smith & Wesson, Barrett Firearms, Beretta and Glock.
Mexico filed its lawsuit in August 2021, accusing seven gun manufacturers and one distributor of negligent business practices that have led to illegal arms trafficking and deaths in Mexico, where U.S.-sourced firearms are used in a majority of high-impact crimes.
In dismissing the case in September 2022, Saylor, chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, said that U.S. law “unequivocally” prohibits lawsuits that seek to hold gun manufacturers responsible when people use their products for their intended purpose.
More:
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/mexico-wins-appeal-in-lawsuit-against-us-gunmakers-filed-in-boston/
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2024
Workers repair the entrance of City Hall riddled in large bullet holes in Villa Union, Mexico, December 2, 2019, after 22 people were killed in a weekend gun battle between a drug cartel and security forces
MEXICO has called for an urgent investigation into how drug cartels are using US military-grade weapons. The Latin American country’s army is finding increasingly more belt-fed machine guns, rocket launchers and grenades from the United States.
Foreign Relations Secretary Alicia Barcena said: “The [Mexican] Defence Department has warned the United States about weapons entering Mexico that are for the exclusive use of the US army.
“It is very urgent that an investigation into this be carried out.”
In June, the Mexican army said it has seized 221 fully automatic machine guns, 56 grenade launchers and a dozen rocket launchers from drug cartels since late 2018.
Mexico has long had a problem with semi-automatic rifles permitted for civilian use in the US being smuggled into Mexico, where only low-calibre firearms are permitted and strictly regulated. The country has launched legal action against US arms manufacturers and gun shops, arguing that they contribute to violence.
More:
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/mexico-calls-investigation-us-military-weapons-used-cartels