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world news Diahuebs 5 augustus 2021

Mexico sues U.S gun manufacturers over arms trafficking toll

(AP) — The Mexican “brings this action to put an American laws.”
government sued United end to the massive damage
States gun manufacturers that the Defendants cause Mexico did not seek the ad-
and distributors Wednes- by actively facilitating the vice of the U.S. government
day in U.S. federal court, unlawful trafficking of their on the matter, but advised the
arguing that their neg- guns to drug cartels and oth- U.S. Embassy before filing
ligent and illegal com- er criminals in Mexico,” the the lawsuit.
mercial practices have lawsuit said.
unleashed tremendous Steve Shadowen, the lead at-
bloodshed in Mexico. The government estimates torney representing Mexico,
that 70% of the weapons said that in the early 2000s
The unusual lawsuit was trafficked to Mexico come about 30 U.S. cities brought
filed in U.S. federal court from the U.S., according to similar litigation against gun
in Boston. Among those be- the Foreign Affairs Ministry. manufacturers arguing that
ing sued are some of the And that in 2019 alone, at they should be responsible
biggest names in guns, in- least 17,000 homicides were for increased police, hospital-
cluding: Smith & Wesson linked to trafficked weapons. ization and other costs asso- ufacturers. Walmart, including some
Brands, Inc.; Barrett Fire- ciated with gun violence. Mexican citizens. At that
arms Manufacturing, Inc.; Alejandro Celorio, legal advi- The sale of firearms is se- time, Foreign Affairs Secre-
Beretta U.S.A. Corp.; Colt’s sor for the ministry, told re- As some cities started win- verely restricted in Mexico tary Marcelo Ebrard said the
Manufacturing Company porters Wednesday that the ning, gun manufacturers and controlled by the De- government would explore
LLC, and Glock Inc. Another damage caused by the traf- went to Congress and got fense Department. But thou- its legal options. The govern-
defendant is Interstate Arms, ficked guns would be equal an immunity statute for the sands of guns are smuggled ment said Wednesday that
a Boston-area wholesaler that to 1.7% to 2% of Mexico’s manufacturers. Shadowen into Mexico by the country’s recent rulings in U.S. courts
sells guns from all but one of gross domestic product. The said he believes that immu- powerful drug cartels. contributed to its decision to
the named manufacturers to government will seek at least nity doesn’t apply when the file the lawsuit.
dealers around the U.S. $10 billion in compensation, injury occurs outside the There were more than 36,000
he said. Mexico’s GDP last United States. murders in Mexico last year, It cited a decision in Califor-
The manufacturers did not year was more than $1.2 tril- and the toll has remained nia allowing a lawsuit against
immediately answer requests lion. “The merits of the case are stubbornly high despite Pres- Smith & Wesson to move for-
for comment. strongly in our favor and ident Andrés Manuel López ward, a lawsuit filed last week
“We don’t do it to pressure then we have to get around Obrador’s pledge to pacify against Century Arms related
The Mexican government the United States,” Celorio this immunity statute which the country. Mexico’s na- to a 2019 shooting in Gilroy,
argues that the companies said. “We do it so there aren’t we think we’re going to win,” tionwide murder rate in 2020 California, and the $33 mil-
know that their practices con- deaths in Mexico.” he said. “That statute just remained unchanged at 29 lion settlement reached by
tribute to the trafficking of simply doesn’t apply. It only per 100,000 inhabitants. By Remington with some of the
guns to Mexico and facilitate Ebrard said the lawsuit was applies when you’re in the comparison, the U.S. homi- families whose children were
it. Mexico wants compensa- another piece of the govern- United States.” cide rate in 2019 was 5.8 per killed in the Newtown, Con-
tion for the havoc the guns ment’s efforts against guns. 100,000. necticut, mass school shoot-
have wrought in its country. “The priority is that we re- He said he believes it is the ing.
duce homicides,” he said. first time a foreign govern- In August 2019, a gunmen
The Mexican government “We aren’t looking to change ment has sued the gun man- killed 23 people in an El Paso

Thai protest leader renews calls for reform of monarchy

(AP) — A Thai protest leader on light rally in downtown Bangkok by the country with its unprecedented
Tuesday renewed calls for the re- about 200 people who defied corona- challenge to the status of the monar- “We are here to fight to build a bet-
form of the country’s monarchy virus regulations to attend. chy, which is widely considered to be ter future together,” he said. “This
and suggested that time was run- an untouchable bedrock element of year we will fight with strategies. We
ning out for the powerful institu- The civil rights lawyer dressed as Thai nationalism. will fight with goals. Not only will we
tion to respond. Harry Potter, a reference to what he fight through protests to bring pres-
and other proponents of change see It sparked a series of large-scale ral- sure, we will also fight to propose
“This year shall be the last year that as the opaque world of the palace. Ar- lies demanding that the palace be laws in Parliament.”
we will discuss monarchy reform. non is widely considered the protest made more transparent and account-
After this, whatever will happen, will movement’s most senior figure. able. The protests, which also called Arnon, who is currently free on bail,
happen. You can’t stop the sun rising. for the resignation of Prime Minister faces more than 10 charges under a
You can’t control what people believe The rally marked one year since Ar- Prayuth Chan-ocha and the amend- stringent royal defamation law that
in,” Arnon Nampha said at a candle- non delivered a speech that shook ment of the constitution, raised the mandates prison terms of up to 15
political temperature significantly, years for perceived insults. Human
leading to clashes with royalists and rights defenders say it is routinely
police and the arrests of protest lead- used to stifle public discussion of the
ers. monarchy and to jail political activ-
ists. Its abolition is a key demand of
The rallies died down this year due the reform movement.
to legal action, a lack of unity in the
movement and fears over the corona- Many people still revere the monar-
virus. But in recent weeks protesters chy, and the military, a major power
have returned to the streets, prompt- in Thai society, considers its defense
ed by a worsening COVID-19 out- a key priority.
break for which many people blame
the government. Questioning of the monarchy’s posi-
tion has grown since the 2016 acces-
They’ve largely targeted Prayuth’s sion to the throne of King Maha Va-
government but Arnon’s speech on jiralongkorn, whose much admired
Tuesday suggests the monarchy will father, King Bhumibhol Adulyadej,
once again be a focus of Thai political ruled for seven decades.
debate.