Mexican President Calls for America to Review its Gun Laws
Jose Nino
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After the El Paso massacre, which left 22 people dead, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) advised that the U.S. review its gun control laws.
Bloomberg News reports that AMLO wants the U.S. to reconsider its gun policies.
At a news conference, AMLO stated “We are very respectful of what other governments decide, but we think that these unfortunate events in the U.S. should prompt reflection, analysis and the decision to control the indiscriminate sale of guns.”
He also claimed that both Republicans and Democrats have not paid much attention to this issue.
This comment is rather ironic when considering that AMLO’s government has not taken a side on the Venezuelan presidential crisis. AMLO justified this by claiming that Mexico’s constitution calls for “respect and non-intervention regarding the affairs of other countries.”
Given El Paso’s geography along the border, there are plenty of Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals living in that area. Six Mexicans were wounded during this shooting.
After news of the El Paso murder’s manifesto and the anti-immigrant sentiments it contained broke out, the Mexican political class has exploited this crisis to score political points.
Mexico is rife with violence and has some of the strictest gun control legislation in the Western Hemisphere. Although many no compromise gun rights activists complain about America’s federal gun control laws, Mexico’s gun control laws are much more draconian.
Those wanting to acquire guns in Mexico are required to submit references and prove that they have legal sources of income. Additionally, they must provide photographs and be fingerprinted.
Even with all these hoops, Mexican criminals are able to easily get their hands on firearms. Due to the gap in gun ownership, law-abiding Mexicans have been victimized by powerful drug cartels. Based on reports from The Sun, 94 homicides occur on a daily basis in Mexico.
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