Top of PageGun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Fighting Guns With Graffiti In Honduras
13 June 2013
al Jazeera
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - It's almost sundown and a small sport utility vehicle glides through one of the most dangerous cities in the world which has been overrun by rival gangs and organised crime.
During the drive, dozens of Hondurans are seen making their way home, wary of the time to ensure they get there before dark. The SUV crosses a bridge and parks on the sidewalk, just two blocks away from the capital Tegucigalpa's red-light district.
It is here where Urban... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Indicates 50% of US Dealers Depend on Guns Smuggled to Mexico
6 June 2013
ThinkProgress (USA), Blog
A recent study not only confirms the claim that many of the guns used in the ongoing violence in Mexico are from the United States, but finds that some U.S. gun dealers depend on this illegal gun running to stay afloat.
Researchers at the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute and Brazil's Igarapé Institute put together a groundbreaking model to determine why Mexico, which possesses some of the toughest gun laws in the world, is so awash in firearms. In... (GunPolicy.org)
US Allows Tracing of Bulk Semi-Automatic Gun Sales to Mexican Gangs
31 May 2013
Reuters
A federal regulation aimed at detecting bulk sales of semi-automatic rifles to Mexican drug gangs was upheld Friday by an U.S. appeals court.
A unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the Obama administration acted within its authority to adopt the 2011 rule, which affects firearms sellers in states bordering Mexico.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 "unambiguously authorizes" the rule, and it is unrealistic to argue, as gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Libya,Mexico,Germany
Weapons Exports Reveal Faults in German System
30 May 2013
Deutsche Welle
Germany prides itself on having "strict, even restrictive regulations" for the export of weapons of war. All the same, German weapons regularly show up in regions they should not be in.
For years, every single government coalition in Germany has stated that the country has particularly strict regulations for sales of weapons of war to foreign countries. Regularly, however, weapons used abroad but "made in Germany" get into the news. People are outraged when assault... (GunPolicy.org)
80% of Crimes in Honduras Committed with Unregistered Guns
21 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
According to a Congressional committee that handles public security issues, some 80.5 percent of all crimes in Honduras are committed with unregistered guns, as the country prepares to debate a new set of gun reform laws.
A member of the committee told El Heraldo that only 23 percent of the weapons circulating in Honduras are registered.
This is slightly lower than a previous estimate released by the Honduran government's human rights commission (CONADEH), which... (GunPolicy.org)
32 Gang Firearms Used in Over 230 Guatemala Homicides [Español]
8 May 2013
Prensa Libre (Guatemala)
A ballistics report prepared by the National Forensic Science Institute (Inacif) established that 32 firearms, which were held by members of the Mara Salvatrucha, have been used in 238 homicides, according to the Public Ministry. PM have evidence against the leaders of Mara Salvatrucha.
This scientific evidence presented by Inacif was obtained through the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (Ibis, in English), which consists of a database that stores images and... (GunPolicy.org)
32 Crime Guns Linked to Over 230 Murders in Guatemala
8 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Forensic analysis has revealed that the MS-13 gang in Guatemala used 32 guns to allegedly commit 238 murders, offering insight into the gang's modus operandi and highlighting some of the difficulties of tackling organized crime with gun control.
Members of Guatemala's National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) used the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (Ibis) to identify 1,133 guns that had been used in multiple crimes, reported Prensa Libre.
Of those... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Mexico,Guatemala
Report Traces Arms Trafficking From US to Guatemala
8 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new report sheds light on a little-studied subject: the trafficking of US weapons into Guatemala, a relatively limited phenomenon that could be far bigger than suggested by the available data and may play a role in the continuing violence and criminality in that Central American nation.
The report (pdf), from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, reviews an analysis that the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted of... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Firm Illegally Sold Weapons to Mexico
7 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A German arms manufacturer has admitted to illegally selling thousands of rifles to Mexico, where the weapons were reportedly used to commit human rights violations.
Heckler & Koch, which produces weapons such as pistols, machine guns, and grenade launchers, is under investigation by German authorities for exporting G36 rifles to several Mexican states where Germany prohibits gun sales, due to human rights concerns.
The company previously claimed it had only ever... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Police Report 45% Drop in Homicides After Gang Truce
2 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The number of murders in El Salvador so far in 2013 is 45 percent lower than the previous year, providing a reminder of the benefits of the country's gang truce at a time when the agreement is coming under increasing pressure.
From January to April this year, there were 694 recorded murders, according to the National Police (PNC), 530 less than the same period in 2012. January saw the highest number of murders with 191, while April had the lowest with 148, reported El... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Argentina,Costa Rica,Libya,Germany,United States,Brazil,Paraguay,Austria
Most Brazilian Guns Exported to US
29 April 2013
Folha de Sao Paulo
BRASILIA - The U.S., currently discussing restrictions on the sale of firearms, purchased 7.9 million guns from Brazil in the past 40 years, and 59% of those were exported during the Lula administration (2003-2010).
That is the result of a new study by the Army Command to which Folha had access through the Access to Information Act, with a detailed record of the sellers and buyers of 9.9 million revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns, among other weapons, exported... (GunPolicy.org)
30 Costa Ricans Apply For Firearm Permits Each Day, Citing Crime Worries
15 April 2013
Inside Costa Rica
Citing ongoing concerns about crime in the country, some 30 Costa Ricans now apply each day for permission to carry a firearm.
The fact that Costa Ricans are arming themselves at a faster rate than before is evident from the long lines that form early each morning outside the Department of Arms and Explosives of the Ministry of Security, where permits are requested.
"You choose to arm yourself because of so many things you see on the street. Where I live is peaceful... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Hails Drop in Drug Killings but Day Brings More of the Same
11 April 2013
Guardian (UK)
At least 14 people have died in a series of clashes between gunmen and federal police in Mexico, just as the government announced a 14% drop in drug-related killings.
The deaths took place in Michoacan state, a western area that has seen a surge of violence in recent years attributed to drug cartels.
Federal police said in a statement the first gun battle began when officers aboard a helicopter spotted armed men traveling in four vehicles in the town of Gabriel... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Authorities say Most Homicides Occur in Just 25 Municipalities
8 April 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Over 80 percent of homicides in Guatemala take place in just 25 of the country's 334 municipalities, according to President Otto Perez Molina, highlighting the concentrated nature of the violence sweeping the country.
The violence ridden municipalities are spread across twelve of Guatemala's 22 departments, however, the highest number are found in the vicinity of Guatemala City, where 45 percent of murders take place, said Perez, referring to an unpublished report by... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Running into Mexico on the Rise as US Admits Lack of Data on Guns
4 April 2013
San Marco Mercury
As the gun control debate swirls around issues like background checks and mental health, a new study reveals that gun running into Mexico remains a large-scale problem.
In their report, titled "The Way of the Gun," researchers at the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute estimated that as many as 253,000 firearms were purchased in the United States from 2010 to 2012 for the sole purpose of being trafficked across the border into Mexico. The figure is nearly... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica Police Propose Tough New Laws to Address Gun Homicide Rate
1 April 2013
Gleaner (Jamaica)
Seeking to take the monster of crime by the scruff, the Jamaican police have proposed radical legislative changes that would provide, among other things, lengthy prison sentences for gun-related crimes.
The recommendation forms the linchpin of the Jamaica Gun Project, an initiative conceptualised by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to stem the hundreds of gun-related crimes the island records each year.
"Gun offenders give us the equivalent in Jamaica of one 9/11... (GunPolicy.org)
Austrian Pensioner Shoots and Kills Girlfriend, Self in Costa Rica
28 March 2013
Inside Costa Rica
An Austrian citizen in Guanacaste shot his partner twice before turning the gun on himself Tuesday night, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).
The murder-suicide occurred in the couple's home in Villa Margarita, 400 meters north of the main traffic lights in Liberia, Guanacaste, where the couple had lived for about five years.
The Judicial Police identified the man by the last name Ladstetter, 71, and his partner by the last name of Achio,... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Mexico,United Kingdom,Ghana,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty Talks Enter Stormy Final Round
26 March 2013
Rappler / Agence France Presse
More than 100 countries complained Monday that talks on a conventional arms trade treaty had gone "backwards" from a vow to conclude a strong accord on the $80 billion a year trade.
The major western powers, who expressed confidence that an accord could be reached, face tough criticism over the treaty as talks at the UN headquarters entered the final straight.
A group representing 103 countries blasted the latest text as a step "backwards."
A statement by the 103,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Homicides an Increasing Risk for Honduras Lawyers
21 March 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
More than 50 lawyers were murdered in Honduras between 2010 and 2012, according to a government report, with almost total impunity for their killers.
In the first three years of President Porfirio Lobo's rule 53 lawyers were murdered, yet only two people have been convicted in the cases, according to a report submitted to the Honduran Congress by the country's National Human Rights Commission.
The lawyers, 43 of whom were men, worked not only in criminal law, but also... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Gun Trafficking Benefits Nearly 50% US Dealers - Study
20 March 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new study found that nearly half of United States firearms dealers are economically dependent on demand from Mexico, while under 15 percent of illicitly trafficked arms are seized at the border, highlighting the US role in Mexican gun violence.
The study, titled "The Way of the Gun: Estimating Firearms Traffic Across the U.S.-Mexico Border," aimed to quantify the US role in feeding Mexico's gun violence, which continues to rise despite tight gun control policies and... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,United Kingdom,France,Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,Russia,United States
Armed Violence Kills 66,000 Women and Girls Each Year
20 March 2013
New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has urged the world's nations to agree on a strong UN treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in the next two weeks, saying it will save lives and make it more difficult for warlords, organised criminals and terrorists to obtain weapons.
Hopes of reaching agreement on what would be a landmark treaty were dashed last July when the United States said it needed more time to consider the proposed accord - a... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 250,000 Guns a Year Illegally Smuggled into Mexico - Study
19 March 2013
Fox News Latino
The Fast and Furious gun-running scandal that continues to haunt the U.S. Department of Justice highlighted a frightening fact: Illegal firearms are flowing into Mexico from the U.S. at an alarming rate.
More than two percent of all firearms bought in the United States -- about 253,000 -- end up south of the border, up from 1.75 percent in 1990, according to a binational report by the Trans-Border Institute in San Diego and the Igarape Institute, a research center in... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
In First Two Months of 2013: One Child Died Everyday in Guatemala [Espanol]
12 March 2013
Te Interesa (Spain)
[Translated summary: At least one child died every day in Guatemala by the action of a firearm during the first two months of 2013, warned the Human Rights Office of the Archbishop of Guatemala (ODHAG).]
Al menos un niño murió cada día en Guatemala por la acción de un arma de fuego durante los dos primeros meses de 2013, advirtió ayer la Oficina de Derechos Humanos del Arzobispado de Guatemala (ODHAG).
Nery Rodenas, director de la ODHAG, indicó en rueda de... (GunPolicy.org)
Sandy Hook Shooting May Make almost No Difference in US Gun Control Laws
11 March 2013
Time (USA)
Here's a hard truth: all the emotion and outrage and sadness that followed the Dec. 14 shooting of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook elementary school may make almost no difference in federal gun control laws. How little is the Hill going to do on gun control? As things stand, Congress may not even pass two gun control measures that even some elements of the powerful gun lobby have suggested they could support. But if post-Sandy Hook gun control measures are badly... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
30 Percent of Costa Rican Crime Committed with Toy Guns
6 March 2013
Inside Costa Rica
At least three in ten armed robberies in Costa Rica are committed using a toy gun, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ). This week, authorities destroyed 487 such toy guns that were being held in evidence in the National Arsenal.
Among toy guns confiscated by officers are replicas of revolvers, shotguns, AK47's, and pistols of different calibers, according to authorities.
Costa Rican authorities also warned, "the use of replica toy guns is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras New Gun Law Could Allow Only One Gun Per Person [Espanol]
1 March 2013
El Heraldo (Honduras)
[Translated summary: The right for a person to be licensed to carry up to five guns will be reversed in the new Firearms Control Act and is to be debated in Honduras Congress.]
La propuesta de reducir a un arma por persona es una recomendación de las Naciones Unidas. ¿Está de acuerdo?
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - La tendencia de que una persona puede obtener licencia para portar hasta cinco armas será revertida en la nueva Ley de Control de Armas que está por... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras to Give Seized Guns to Security Forces
20 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Honduran officials have announced that confiscated firearms will be redistributed among the security forces, boosting ill-equipped agencies, and diverting the arms away from the black market.
Officials estimate the police currently have 4,000 weapons stored as evidence. Those that are legal in Honduras, for the most part handguns, will be distributed to police, military and Justice Department officials. The illegal guns, including AK-47s and carbines, will be... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica Plans New Govt Commission to Regulate Guns
18 February 2013
Inside Costa Rica
A replacement text submitted by the Ministry of Public Security aims to create an interagency committee which would regulate the possession of firearms and ammunition in Costa Rica, as well as introduce a series of measures aimed at reducing homicides.
The commission would be composed of one member from the Ministry of Security, another from the Ministry of Justice, as well as a representative from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Labor, and the Health Ministry,... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland,United States,European Union,Germany,Switzerland,Russia,South Africa,Mexico
Registry Shows Germans Fourth in World For Guns
17 February 2013
Local (Germany)
Figures compiled for Germany's new National Weapons Registry reveal that there are 5.4 million legally owned guns in the country, making it the world's fourth most-armed nation per capita.
Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday that the state of Bavaria topped the list with 1.1 million, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 1 million and Baden-Württemberg with 700,000.
The new national gun register bundles together the data from over 500 local authorities, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Artist Turns Guns Into Musical Instruments
13 February 2013
New York Times / Associated Press
MEXICO CITY — The guns that have caused so many deaths in northern Mexico are now making music.
Mechanical hammers ping against ammunition magazines from assault rifles. Gun barrels cut to different lengths ring like marimbas. Pistol parts strike metal plates, like cymbals, to create rhythmic, syncopated sounds.
"It's important to consider that many lives were taken with these weapons, as if a sort of exorcism was taking place," sculptor Pedro Reyes said in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Nicaragua Gangs Make or Purchase Guns from Drug Traffickers
6 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A report from a Nicaraguan think-tank analyzing crime and violence in one of the semi-autonomous zones on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast highlights the influence of the drug trade in the region, which helped bring about the country's highest incidence of crime in 2011.
The Nicaragua-based Institute of Strategic Studies and Public Policy (IEEPP) released the report analyzing crime rates in the municipality of Bilwi, the main city of the North Atlantic Autonomous Region... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexicans Swap Over 3,000 Guns for Computers, Bikes in Amnesty
6 February 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Mexico City authorities have received over 3,000 firearms in exchange for cash, bicycles, tablet computers and other goods, in new amnesty program aimed at tackling gun crime.
The program, "For your family, voluntarily disarmament" (Por tu familia, desarme voluntario), has been running in three of Mexico City's 16 districts for the last two months. El Capitalino reports that government officials associated with the program have visited nearly half a million homes in... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica to Tighten Gun Control, as Gun Crime Rises
25 January 2013
Tico Times (Costa Rica)
Two years ago, 32 women, 48 children and 172 men were killed by firearms in Costa Rica.
Those statistics glow from backlit posters on Avenida Escazú, southwest of the capital, and overlook highways in Curridabat, east of the city, emblazoned on giant billboards.
"The goal is to inform people that firearms in general have a negative effect," said Randal Arias, director of the governance and justice program at Costa Rica's Peace and Democracy Foundation and manager of... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Puerto Rico,Dominican Republic
El Salvador's Inadequate Port Security Increases Gun Availability
23 January 2013
Huffington Post (USA) / Voxxi
The Dominican Republic continues to be the main command center for drug trafficking in the Caribbean region, with an increase in the past two years of 800 percent of the cocaine to United States and Europe.
According to the European Union's COPOLAD Program (drug partnership cooperation program between the European Union and Latin America), the lack of control and technological resources of the Dominican ports Multimodal Caucedo and Haina pose a major threat to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Peace Zone Launched in El Salvador, Gangs Asked to Hand in Guns
23 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The first "peace zone" has been inaugurated in El Salvador, launching the second phase of the gang truce, which could prove critical in determining whether the initiative is sustainable.
Gang leaders and mediators named Ilopango, a town near the capital, a violence-free area where no crimes will be committed. Gang members will hand in weapons and stop all crimes, including extortion, kidnapping, theft, and murder. Some 18 municipalities in the country may eventually... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Mexico,Venezuela
The Impact of Obama's Gun Control Proposal in Mexico
23 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
President Obama's push to enact stronger gun control measures answers a long-held wish from Mexican officials, but how likely is it to change the security dynamic south of the Rio Grande?
President Obama announced a new push to pass legislation limiting access to deadly weapons last week, adding, "I will put everything I've got into this." The proposal encompasses 23 executive orders, three of which Obama has already signed and went into effect immediately: an end to... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Peru,Ecuador,United States
Criminals Used Mexican Postal Service To Move Drugs, Guns
23 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Revelations over how criminal groups used Mexico's public postal service to transport drugs, guns and contraband have highlighted the need for authorities to tighten the country's postal inspection regime.
In an interview with El Economista, ex-Sepomex Director Purificacion Carpinteyra described how criminals transported illicit goods in trucks bearing the Sepomex logo and even earned genuine Sepomex contracts through offering discount or even free transportation... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia,Venezuela,Mexico,Chile,Brazil,Argentina
Gun Laws in Six Latin American Nations Explained
11 January 2013
Americas Society/Council of the Americas
Following a mass school shooting in Connecticut in December 2012, policymakers in the United States began engaging in a renewed debate about gun control. AS/COA Online looks at gun-related legislation in Latin America's six largest economies, identifying regulations for arms licensing. In Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, gun possession is legal for civilians, though restrictions tend to be stringent. …
Argentina: Gun ownership in Argentina... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Russia,China,Mexico
Mexico's Gun Problems Go Beyond Drug Wars
11 January 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - A lot of attention goes to the U.S.-made weapons in the hands of criminal groups in this Latin American country. But there is little talk of another problem: the large number of light weapons in the hands of civilians.
The Mexican Constitution establishes the people's right to "own guns in their homes for their safety and self-defence", with the exception of high caliber weapons, while the 1972 Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives stipulates the... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 100 Massacres in Honduras, Gangs and Gun Availability Blamed
8 January 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
In a clear sign of Honduras' worsening security crisis, statistics show that more than 100 massacres took place inside the country in 2012, with half of the deaths attributed to organized crime.
The Honduran Observatory on Violence, a program at Honduras' largest public university, used fieldwork and media monitoring to count 432 people dead in 115 massacres between January 1 and December 14 last year, reported newspaper El Heraldo.
Firearms were used in 85 percent... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala,El Salvador,Venezuela,United States,Australia,Jamaica,Russia,Colombia
NRA 'Good Guys With Guns' Theory Already Disproved in Latin America
5 January 2013
New York Times
In the wake of the tragic shooting deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., last month, the National Rifle Association proposed that the best way to protect schoolchildren was to place a guard — a "good guy with a gun" — in every school, part of a so-called National School Shield Emergency Response Program.
Indeed, the N.R.A.'s solution to the expansion of gun violence in America has been generally to advocate for the more widespread deployment and... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Finland,Colombia,Mexico,Western Europe,Australia,Yemen,Canada,New Zealand,United States
On Guns and Gun Law, America an Outlier Among Developed Nations
20 December 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
How freely do guns flow in the United States compared with the world's other industrialized countries?
According to GunPolicy.org, run by Philip Alpers, a firearms analyst at The University of Sydney, the United States is unusual with what Alpers described as the "two pillars" of gun control: licensing gun owners and registering weapons.
"You are basically the only country in the developed world that doesn't license gun owners across the board and you are almost alone... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico: 53,000 Killed by Gunfire in 6 Years [Espanol]
20 December 2012
El Universal (Mexico)
[Translated summary: During the last year of former President Felipe Calderon's administration firearms seizures increased by 82%, compared with the first year of his term. However, these were not sufficient to reduce homicides committed with firearms in Mexico, registering an increase of 134% this year compared with 2007.]
Durante el último año de la gestión del ex presidente Felipe Calderón aumentó en 82% el decomiso de armas de fuego, en comparación con el... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Honduras,El Salvador,Guatemala
Guatemala: More Than 4,000 Firearms Seized So Far in 2012 [Espanol]
20 December 2012
Prensa Libre (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: In 2012, Guatemala Police seized 4,302 firearms and captured 2,185 people for illegal possession and carrying of firearms.]
La Policía decomisó desde el 1 de enero al 15 de diciembre recién pasado 4 mil 302 armas de fuego y capturó a 2 mil 185 personas sindicadas de tenencia y portación ilegal.
CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA.- Las autoridades informaron que el objetivo del decomiso es evitar la circulación ilegal de armas, pues estas llegan a manos de... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,Colombia,Mexico,Panama,Guatemala,Swaziland,South Africa,Jamaica,Philippines,Brazil,El Salvador,United States
Top 12 Countries for Firearms Related Deaths
17 December 2012
Forbes (USA)
Few major nations have the right to bear arms configured in their Constitution. Even fewer (as in we are the only one) have gun control legislation as a hot button political issue. The U.S. is the most violent core economy in terms of gun related deaths. It is also the leader in gun violence at school campuses. Yet, the U.S. does not lead the world in firearms related deaths. Countries were gangs and drugs are a problem top the list, even where there is strict gun... (GunPolicy.org)
11 Killed in Violent Shooting Weekend in Mexico
10 December 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Heavily armed men took over a municipality in the state of Chihuahua over the weekend, unleashing a wave of violence that left 11 dead, underscoring the scale of the task facing new Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.
The violence began on the night of December 7, when masked men armed with assault rifles blocked off part of the Chihuahua town of Guadalupe and Calvo before executing two men and setting fire to houses, according to La Jornada.
The assault continued... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala,Colombia,Brazil,El Salvador
Study Shows South America Gun Deaths More Likely in Cities [Español]
5 December 2012
Prensa Libre (Guatemala) / EFE News Agency
[Translated summary: A new study found that over 60 percent of gun homicides in Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador occur in large cities. ]
GINEBRA - El informe titulado "Violencia urbana armada" señala que las capitales de los países concentran buen parte de la violencia, por ejemplo la Ciudad de Guatemala o Managua, que contabilizan un 42 por ciento del total de los homicidios armados a nivel nacional.
El estudio, basado en cifras oficiales, revela también las... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Boosts Honduras Border Security to Prevent Gun Smuggling
27 November 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The government of Guatemala has announced that it will open a new security checkpoint along its border with Honduras, in an effort to cut down on smuggling along the 256 km-long border.
Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina announced on November 26 that the government would set up a new official border crossing into Honduras, in the northeastern province of Izabal.
Perez said that the crossing would help bring customs revenue to his country, and added that he was... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities Identify US Networks Trafficking Guns to Colombia
13 November 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
US and Colombian police say that they have uncovered evidence of two Florida-based networks which smuggled arms into Colombia, evidence of the role US gun traffickers play in arming criminal groups in the country.
El Tiempo reported that the discovery of an illegal arms shipment in Bogota's international airport resulted in Colombian and US authorities identifying two separate family-run arms trafficking networks which sent weapons from central and south Florida to... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,United States,Mexico,Guatemala
Guatemala, US Sign Gun Tracing Deal to Fight Trafficking
8 November 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Guatemala is set to gain access to the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) weapons tracing system, to track arms confiscated from criminal groups in the country.
Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz declared that the new agreement would give Guatemala access to the ATF's database, which is also used by Mexico to track the origin of seized weapons, reported Prensa Libre.
Paz y Paz also noted that granting access to Guatemala, a key transit... (GunPolicy.org)
Caribbean Asks for Global Help to Address Drug, Gun Trafficking
6 November 2012
Caribbean360
ROME, Italy – The Bahamas has called on the international law enforcement community to help the Caribbean deal with the illegal drugs trade, warning that despite regional efforts to curb the shipment of illegal drugs the trade has left behind a culture of dishonesty, disrespect, and urban violence in the country.
National Security Minister Dr. Bernard Nottage, addressing the International Police (INTERPOL) General assembly here, said that The Bahamas, for example, ... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Gun Battles Kill 9, Authorities Blame Drug Rivalries
5 November 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Gun battles reportedly between rival gangs in the border city of Reynosa over the weekend left nine dead and suggest the Zetas may be making a push to take over the key trafficking corridor and Gulf Cartel stronghold.
The fighting began early on November 3 when four men were shot dead in an SUV on the road connecting Reynosa and Monterrey, reported Informador.
Gunfire was later exchanged between gang members and Mexican soldiers throughout areas of Reynosa, leaving a... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Arrested in Belize Casino Raid, Weapons Seized [Espanol]
1 November 2012
Diario De Quintana Roo (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Belize authorities have revealed a Mexican man was arrested after a raid at a casino, which resulted in the seizure of unlicensed assault weapons and drugs.]
La Fuerza de Defensa de Belice (BDF) reveló que el mexicano detenido durante un operativo realizado en el casino Las Vegas, ubicado en la Zona Libre, es identificado como Zurisadey Villaseñor Méndez, de oficio taxista y comerciante de Chetumal. Durante el operativo se confiscaron armas... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Arrests Show Lax Regulation of Guatemalan Security Firms
26 October 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Between two and three private security guards are arrested for possession of illegal arms each week in Guatemala City, according to a new report, highlighting concerns over the lack of regulation of the country's numerous private security firms.
Public prosecutors in Guatemala City see between two and three cases a week related to the arrest of a private security guards for possession of an unlawful firearm, reported Prensa Libre.
The confiscated weapons are turned... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Police Allege Gang Weapons Stolen from Central America Armies
23 October 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Mexico's northern Coahuila state has seen a series of heavy arms seizures in recent weeks, evidence that Mexico's police are often outgunned in their fight against the country's cartels.
On October 20, agents from the Special Tactics and Weapons Unit (GATE) seized three Soviet-style hand-held rockets and a launcher, among other weapons, reported El Universal. The seizure took place in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, during a search operation for some of the 131 inmates who... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,Colombia,Mexico,Guatemala
Honduras to Review Gun Laws in Effort to Lower Crime, Death Rates
18 October 2012
Christian Science Monitor / InSight Crime
The Honduran government is reportedly set to conduct a review of its gun laws in an apparent effort to combat rising violence levels, though equal emphasis will need to be made on addressing endemic corruption and weak institutions to solidify any gains.
Matias Funes, a representative from the independent Commission on Public Security Reform (CRSP), said on Oct. 16 that Honduras' gun laws are in need of urgent revision if efforts are to be made to combat the country's... (GunPolicy.org)
Authorities to Destroy 28,000 Weapons in El Salvador [Espanol]
10 October 2012
La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador)
[Translated Summary - El Salvador military to destroy stockpile of 28,000 weapons collected by authorities, after a court order.]
El ministro de Seguridad, David Munguía Payés, aseguró ayer que más de 28,000 armas de fuego de diferente calibre se encuentran en los almacenes de la Fuerza Armada de El Salvador (FAES) a la espera de que los juzgados ordenen su destrucción, como lo establecen los artículos 75 y 76 de la Ley de Control y Regulación de Armas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico,Mexico,Honduras,Barbados,United States,Colombia
US Man Breaks Silence on Pre-Fast and Furious Operation, 'Castaway'
8 October 2012
Kansas City Star (Missouri) / Miami Herald
A sensational election-season report into the botched Operation Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation has cast new light on a simultaneous Florida firearms investigation linked to violence in Colombia, Honduras and Puerto Rico.
Called Operation Castaway, the Florida case has received far less attention than Fast and Furious. The latter became an embarrassing distraction for Obama's administration when it was implicated in the death of a federal agent and Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica to Ban 'Hunting for Sport' in New Law to Protect Wildlife
3 October 2012
France 24
Costa Rica is set to be the first country in the American continent to ban recreational hunting after the country's legislature approved the popular measure by a wide margin.
The bill, which bans hunting for sport but still allows culling and subsistence hunting, was approved late Tuesday by a 41-5 vote. Congress will revisit the issue on Thursday, but the second round is seen as just a formality.
President Laura Chinchilla, who supports the measure, is expected to... (GunPolicy.org)
Former El Salvador Colonel Accused of Illegal Gun Deals
1 October 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Salvadoran prosecutors have accused a retired army coronel once in charge of its weapons stockpile of illegally selling arms, the latest such charge against the country's military.
An investigation by the Prosecutor General's organized crime unit found that retired Colonel Alberto Gonzalez Quezada sold two semi-automatic rifles to people who did not meet legal requirements to own them.
Gonzalez served as head of El Salvador's military's Logistics Division in 2010... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Police Allege Failed Extortions Cause of Bus Driver Shootings
27 September 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Three bus drivers were shot to death in a single day in Guatemala, illustrating the threat that the country's transport workers are under from criminal groups who demand extortion payments.
The first victim, Mario Augusto Salazar, was killed by three gunmen who were traveling as passengers in a bus he was driving between between two towns in southwestern Guatemala. Authorities are investigating whether he was killed for failing to pay extortion fees, reported La Prensa... (GunPolicy.org)
Army Deployed After Mexico Capital Sees Rise in Gun Homicides
21 September 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The government has sent a force of 1,000 soldiers and federal police to patrol a suburb of Mexico City in response to a rise in crime, the first time the military has been deployed on this scale so close to the capital in the war on drugs.
Operation Neza, which was launched on September 19, involves around-the-clock patrols and checkpoints throughout Nezahualcoyotl, a suburb in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area with around 1.1 million residents.
In the past... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica Authorities Regulate Security Companies' Guns
19 September 2012
Costa Rica News
One of the goals of the Ministry of Public Security (MSP) this year has been to ensure greater control of private security companies and agents who currently operate in the country.
Last Thursday, September 13th, the Minister of Public Security, Mario Zamora Cordero, and the Director of Private Security Services of the MSP, Andres Olsen Villegas, presented a report about the actions that have been implemented this year to regulate private security operations.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
New Report Says 'Fast and Furious' US Guns Found in Colombia
10 September 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Several weapons that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) allegedly allowed to be purchased and moved by straw buyers in the so-called "Fast and Furious" case have reportedly ended up in Medellin, Colombia. The finding comes just days before the US Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General will issue a report on the case.
As Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reports, these weapons include at least 2 rifles and 14 Five-seven pistols. Some... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize Weapons, Ammo in Mexico After Boy Takes Gun to School
8 September 2012
BBC News
Mexican police have found a large arsenal of weapons thought to belong to drug traffickers at a house in the northern city of Hermosillo, after a nine-year old boy took a gun to school.
The boy's classmates saw the gun in his bag and reported it to the school authorities, who alerted the police.
The weapon, which was reportedly loaded, was confiscated and police raided the boy's home.
There they found the weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The local... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru,Argentina,Dominican Republic,Colombia,Mexico,Russia,United States
What Google's Arms Trafficking Map Tells Us
28 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The lights blanketing the globe on Google's latest foray into data visualization tell a hidden story of the gun trafficking business: that understanding the movement of ammunition is just as important as understanding the movement of weapons.
Google says the interactive map, which was a joint initiative between Google Ideas and the Brazil-based Igarape Institute, was pulled together using more than a million data points of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Caribbean
Report Shows Firearms Homicides in Latin America Exceed Global Rate
28 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
According to a recent report by European research project Small Arms Survey, 21 out of 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean exceed the global average for the number of homicides committed with firearms.
The report, released on August 27, shows that firearms homicides in Latin America and the Caribbean are far higher than the global average of 42 percent. Firearms were found to be used in 60 percent of homicides in South America, 61 percent in the Caribbean,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Man in Mexico Ammo Smuggling Case Gets Reduced Charges
24 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A Mexico judge has reduced the charges against an American trucker accused of smuggling a truck full of rifle ammunition across the border, accepting his claim that he only crossed into the country by accident.
Mexican border officials arrested Jabin Bogan in Ciudad Juarez this April with 268,000 rounds of ammunition in his vehicle. Bogan said he made a wrong turn and accidentally crossed into Mexico. One of his attorneys said a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Stops Publishing Data On Gun Deaths Linked to Organised Crime
16 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The Mexican government will not continue to release statistics on the number of homicides related to organized crime, leading critics to accuse the administration of withholding the data for political reasons.
In an interview with Reforma, an official from Mexico's federal ministry of security said they would not publish data on Mexico's crime-related murders from before President Felipe Calderon leaves office on November 30.
Jaime Lopez Aranda, the head of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Homicide Rate in Guatemala Unchanged at 77 Percent
14 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
While Guatemala saw a significant drop in homicides in the first seven months of 2012 compared to the previous year, the country continues to face a serious problem of violence and insecurity.
Guatemala's national forensic institute, INACIF, registered 3,410 homicides between January and July of this year. This statistic is down 7.7 percent from the same period in 2011, when there were 3,695 murders, reports EFE.
Seventy-seven percent of these crimes were committed... (GunPolicy.org)
Victims of Gun Violence in Mexico Take Peace Campaign to US
11 August 2012
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - "The United States should stop producing so many weapons, which cause us so much harm. That country also suffers from so much violence, as billions of dollars go into manufacturing guns."
That is the message that anti-crime activist Fernando Ocegueda will take to the public in the United States, during a one-month visit to that country by the Caravan for Peace with Justice and Dignity, made up of 70 family members of victims of violence in Mexico.
"We... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras Gun Ban Aims to Curb Violence
3 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A new decree banning the public possession and transportation of weapons in northern Honduras, a key drug trafficking region, is intended to cut violence in the area though critics argue it will prevent farmers involved in a violent land struggle from arming themselves in self-defense.
The decree passed August 1 and prevents civilians from carrying weapons in public or in vehicles in Honduras' northern Colon province. La Tribuna published the full text of the law,... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Canada,United States,Americas,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Mexico
Kenneth Epps: Farewell To The UN Arms Treaty – For Now
1 August 2012
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
Lost in the hoopla of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, a vital international marathon of another kind ended Friday with a race suspension just before the finish line. At the United Nations in New York, a month of intensive multilateral negotiations on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to regulate international transfers of conventional weapons concluded without agreement, largely because the United States called for more time on the final day.
The U.S. announcement was... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Canada,United States,Central America,North America,Caribbean
Lax US Gun Laws Make Canada, Mexico and Caribbean Less Safe
25 July 2012
Time (USA)
Looming over the aftermath of the Aurora shooting is the long-standing and largely fruitless American debate over gun control. My colleague Alex Altman wrote lucidly about the paralysis that grips many U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle when forced to account for a tragedy of this magnitude. More stringent controls could have thwarted the shooting suspect from spending months undetected while he amassed an arsenal of assault weapons, heavy ammunition and body... (GunPolicy.org)
View of USA Looks Grim from Mexico's One and Only Gun Store
24 July 2012
New York Times
MEXICO CITY — Juan García relinquished his cellphone, walked through two metal detectors, registered with a uniformed soldier — and then finally entered Mexico's only legal gun store.
To anyone familiar with the 49,762 licensed gun dealers in the United States, or the 7,261 gun-selling pawn shops, the place looked less like a store than a government office. Customers waited on metal chairs near a fish tank to be called up to a window to submit piles of paperwork.... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 25,000 Gun Deaths in Honduras Between 2005-2011 [Espanol]
23 July 2012
La Prensa (Honduras)
[Translated summary: 25,649 people were killed in Honduras, victims of firearms, between 2005 and 2011. At least eight out of ten homicides are committed with firearms, according to a study by the National Commissioner of Human Rights.]
25,649 personas perdieron la vida, víctimas de las armas de fuego, entre años 2005 y 2011.
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras - Al menos ocho de cada diez homicidios que ocurren en Honduras son cometidos con armas de fuego, revela un informe... (GunPolicy.org)
Alleged Gun Smugglers with Links to Mexican Drug Gang Arrested in US
10 July 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Twenty people have been arrested in Texas accused of being members of a ring which trafficked weapons to the Zetas drug gang, drawing attention again to the role of the US in supplying weapons to Mexican criminals.
The detainees are accused of forming part of a "straw buying" ring that provided at least 33 automatic rifles to the Mexican drug gang late last year. Ten of the 20 accused pleaded not guilty in a court in San Antonio, reported Notimex. According to the... (GunPolicy.org)
The Truth About the Fast and Furious US-Mexico Gun Running Scandal
27 June 2012
Fortune (USA)
A Fortune investigation reveals that the ATF never intentionally allowed guns to fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. How the world came to believe just the opposite is a tale of rivalry, murder, and political bloodlust.
FORTUNE -- In the annals of impossible assignments, Dave Voth's ranked high. In 2009 the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives promoted Voth to lead Phoenix Group VII, one of seven new ATF groups along the Southwest border... (GunPolicy.org)
US Atty Gen Contempt Citation 'Hollow Political Theatre' - All About Guns and Fear
27 June 2012
Fox News (USA)
The Republican majority's vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of congress is historic. No Attorney General has ever been so explicitly condemned by the Congress.
But the contempt citation is a hollow political theater. It has no substance – zero.
It will not produce any more documents or evidence about the botched sting operation to halt gun-running between the U.S. and Mexico.
And after Obama Justice Department and White House lawyers offered to... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama-Holder Gun-Grab Conspiracy: 'Fast and Furious' Explained [Video]
20 June 2012
MSNBC, Video
The Obama-Holder Gun-Grab Conspiracy
'Operation Fast and Furious' Fantasy Explained
Rachel Maddow, MSNBC
Video... (GunPolicy.org)
Crying Need for a New Gun Control Law in Honduras [Espanol]
18 June 2012
La Tribuna (Honduras)
[Translated summary: According to the Center of Investigation and Promotion of Human Rights, Honduras current legislation is outdated, since there is no real control: 84 percent of deaths involve the use of firearms, and 74 percent of seized firearms are illegal, ie that people are not allowed to carry arms.]
SAN PEDRO SULA - Con el propósito de socializar el anteproyecto de "Ley de Control de Armas de Fuego, Municiones, Explosivos y Materiales Relacionados", este... (GunPolicy.org)
7,987 Guns Registered under Women's Names in Guatemala [Espanol]
18 June 2012
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated summary: Responding to the increase of violence Guatemalans turn to firearms, as shown by the increase of licence applications.]
Guatemala - Las guatemaltecas encuentran en las armas de fuego una forma de defenderse de la violencia y aumentó el número de las que solicitaron licencia o ya las registraron para portarlas, afirma hoy una publicación.(RadioPL)
Ese incremento fue confirmado por la Dirección General de Control de Armas y Municiones, en tanto... (GunPolicy.org)
New Mexico Ousted Mayor, Gun-runner Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison
15 June 2012
Latinos Post (USA) / Reuters
The ousted mayor of a small New Mexico border town who helped run nearly 200 firearms to a violent Mexican drug cartel was sentenced on Thursday to 51 months in prison, authorities said.
Eddie Espinoza, 52, the former mayor of Columbus, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Robert Brack in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman said.
Brack also ordered three years of supervised release for Espinoza, who pleaded guilty in July... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico: MP Calls to Facilitate, Promote Lawful Access to Guns [Espanol]
8 June 2012
La Jornada Aguascalientes (Mexico)
[Translated summary: PAN coordinator in the Congress of Aguascalientes said that the process to legally obtain firearms must be publicised among citizens, as the Constitution itself refers to the right of everyone to own a firearm for self-defence.]
Alfredo Reyes Velázquez, coordinador de los panistas en el Legislativo de Aguascalientes, opinó que el método para conseguir armas de manera legal debe ser publicitado entre la ciudadanía, pues la misma Carta Magna... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Canada
Canada Drops Demand to Exempt 'Civilian' Guns from Arms Trade Treaty
4 June 2012
CBC News (Canada)
Canada has modified its controversial position on a United Nations arms control treaty.
In a new position paper submitted to the UN, the federal government has dropped its proposal to exclude all sporting and hunting firearms from the international Arms Trade Treaty, an agreement that seeks to regulate the import, export and transfer of all conventional weapons.
Last summer Canada surprised many and attracted heaps of scorn from countries such as Nigeria, Brazil,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunmen Kill 11, Injure 9 in North Mexico Rehab Center
4 June 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Gunmen killed 11 people, wounding at least nine others, at a church-run drug rehab facility in Torreon, north Mexico, a year after 13 died in a massacre at another center in the city.
Police said gunmen with AR-15 assault rifles and nine millimeter handguns burst into the "Your Life on the Rock" drug rehabilitation center in Torreon on Sunday night, killing 11 and wounding at least nine, AFP reported. A police source told the news service the gunmen arrived in two... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala Reported 149 Women Killed with Firearms [Espanol]
23 May 2012
Prensa Libre (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: A total of 227 women were murdered in Guatemala, most of them with firearms (149), in the first quarter of 2012, representing 16.74% less than the same period of 2011, said an official source.]
Un total de 227 mujeres fueron asesinadas en Guatemala, la mayoría de ellas con armas de fuego, en en el primer cuatrimestre de 2012, lo que representa un 16,74 % menos que el mismo periodo de 2011, reveló hoy una fuente oficial.
CIUDAD DE GUATEMALA -... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican Couple Admit to 27,000-round Ammo Cache in Texas
15 May 2012
Reuters
Two illegal immigrants pleaded guilty in Texas on Monday to possessing 27,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition along the U.S.-Mexico border, where cross-border weapons smuggling has increased in recent years, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Police in Laredo, Texas, discovered the ammunition after they stopped a Dodge Ram pickup truck that failed to stop at a stop sign in March, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said in a statement.
Weapons traffickers along the... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexican MP Suggests Military Sell Arms to Civilians Directly [Espanol]
10 May 2012
Frontenet (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: MP Gloria Guadalupe Rodriguez (PRI) has put forward a controversial initiative, suggesting the formal installation of a unit for selling arms in each military zone so that civilians could acquire them legally.]
La diputada Gloria Guadalupe Rodríguez (PRI), presentó una polémica iniciativa que pretende solicitar formalmente la instalación de una unidad de comercialización de armamento en cada zona militar, para que los ciudadanos puedan... (GunPolicy.org)
Proposal for Law Against Carrying of Firearms in Honduras [Espanol]
9 May 2012
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated Summary: Honduran social organisations are pushing for the approval of the Law for the control of firearms, munitions, explosives and related materials, so as to stop criminality in the most violent country in the world.]
TEGUCIGALPA - Organizaciones sociales hondureñas impulsan la aprobación de la Ley de Control de Armas de Fuego, Municiones, Materiales Relacionados y Explosivos, para frenar la criminalidad en el país más violento del mundo.
El... (GunPolicy.org)
Five-seven Semi-Automatic Pistol Arrives on Colombian Black Market
9 May 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The Five-seven semi-automatic pistol, capable of piercing body armor, is already a favored weapon of the Mexican cartels. Now there are signs that this "cop killer" gun has found its way into the Colombian black market.
A spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has described the Five-seven as "the weapon of choice" for Mexico's criminal organizations. The weapon first gained the attention of Mexico law enforcement after it was used... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Asia,Turkey,United Kingdom,Mexico,United States
Proposal to Relax Export Restrictions on Firearms in U.S. Unpopular
2 May 2012
Wall Street Journal
U.S. homeland-security and law-enforcement agencies have objected to
Obama administration proposals to relax export restrictions on
high-powered firearms, threatening a centerpiece of the president's
trade and national-security agenda.
The agencies, in internal memos viewed by The Wall Street Journal,
warn the changes could help arm drug cartels and terrorists and make
it harder for the U.S. to crack down on gun-trafficking.
The arms proposal is part of a broader... (GunPolicy.org)
Feds Say 68,000 Guns Seized in Mexico Were Traced Back to US [Espanol]
26 April 2012
El Correo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Washington says 68,000 guns recovered by Mexican authorities in the past five years have been traced back to the United States. An official report by the The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says that during this period, the Mexican authorities submitted more than 99,000 arms for tracing.]
WASHINGTON - El Gobierno de México ha recuperado más de 99.000 armas de fuego entre 2007 y 2011, de las cuales más de 68.000 procedían de... (GunPolicy.org)
Washington Says 68,000 Guns Seized in Mexico Were Traced Back to US
26 April 2012
Seattle Times / AP
WASHINGTON — The government said Thursday that 68,000 guns recovered by Mexican authorities in the past five years have been traced back to the United States.
The flood of tens of thousands of weapons underscores complaints from Mexico that the U.S. is responsible for arming the drug cartels plaguing its southern neighbor. Six years of violence between warring cartels have killed more than 47,000 people in Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and... (GunPolicy.org)
New Obama Gun Rule Sparks 123 Gun Trafficking Probes in Texas Alone
25 April 2012
Houston Chronicle (Texas)
Federal agents in South Texas have opened 123 criminal investigations as a result of a new requirement that border-state gun stores report customers who buy two or more large caliber rifles in the same week, especially those preferred by Mexican drug cartels.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Wednesday that it is not looking at everyone who makes multiple purchases, but those who draw suspicion for other reasons, such as repeatedly... (GunPolicy.org)
Proposal to Allow the Right to Carry Hidden Handguns in Mexico [Espanol]
19 April 2012
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: University Professor and lawyer Ernesto Villanueva suggests allowing the free carrying of firearms in Mexico, under administrative regulations and ensuring prior technical qualification of the carriers.]
El catedrático y jurista Ernesto Villanueva aseguró que con ello se erradicará el tráfico ilegal y los delitos; además mencionó "pareciera que hay dos cárteles, uno operado por el presidente Calderón y otro operado por las bandas... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Seizes 268,000 Rounds of Ammunition from US Truck at Border
18 April 2012
Washington Post / AP
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexican customs inspectors seized 268,000 rounds of assault rifle ammunition found in a U.S. truck at a border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, authorities reported Wednesday.
Angel Torres, a spokesman for federal prosecutors in northern Chihuahua state, said a 37-year-old man from Dallas, Texas, was detained for trying to drive the truck across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Torres said the driver, who is being held pending investigation on... (GunPolicy.org)
90% of Guns Seized in Mexico Traced Back to US - ATF 2009 Report
16 April 2012
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
MEXICO CITY – An exhibit of photographs and art at a Mexico City museum seeks to draw attention to the impact of arms smuggled into Mexico from the United States and gather signatures for a campaign demanding that Washington put an end to arms trafficking.
"Adios a las armas. Contrabando en las fronteras" (Goodbye Firearms. Contraband at the Borders), which opened on Nov. 30 at Mexico City's Museum of Memory and Tolerance, has been seen by about 30,000 visitors,... (GunPolicy.org)
