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One reason is having a giant porous (at least in the north -> south direction) border with the US. They are also a major exporter of illegal drugs to the US (a

One reason is having a giant porous (at least in the north -> south direction) border with the US. They are also a major exporter of illegal drugs to the US (aka the world’s biggest market for illegal drugs), being both a producer and trade route for other producer nations further south. Control of these trade routes is extremely profitable, and guns are super easy to import. It’s not that surprising that the situation is different to Japan or Sweden.

peepeepoopoo13 3y ago
It's shocking how far guns can travel from the southern US border. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation > Article 3 of Colombia's firearm law states that civilians may possess firearms only via permit issued at discretion of the competent authority.[45] > In 1993, Colombia legislated gun ownership, effectively establishing a government licensing monopoly. In 2016, president of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos signed an executive order suspending civilians from carrying firearms, with some exceptions including security details, hunting, private defense and collection. It was extended in 2018 by newly elected president Ivan Duque, albeit with the added stipulation: "for reasons of emergency or security ... taking into consideration among other factors, the particular circumstances of each application". > Gun laws in Honduras are stated in the Act on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Material of 2000.[199] In April 2002, the National Arms Registry was formed, requiring all citizens to register their firearms with the Ministry of Defense.[200] > In 2003, a ban on certain "assault rifles" was passed, restricting citizens from possessing military-style rifles such as the AK-47 and the M-16.[201] In 2007, an additional decree suspended the right to openly carry and conceal carry a firearm in public, and limited the number of firearms a person can possess.[202]
mikeyouse 3y ago
Yep, exactly right. It's like Chicago's gun control efforts when Gary is only a short drive away. Something like 70% of cartel guns recovered came from US manufacturers (Mexican government claims 90%) - but either way, they smuggle drugs north and cash / guns South. https://www.thetrace.org/2022/10/how-many-american-guns-mexican-cartels/ https://www.thetrace.org/2022/10/how-many-american-guns-mexi...
- peepeepoopoo13 3y ago
  [flagged]
totallywrong 3y ago
> aka the world’s biggest market for illegal drugs We've all heard this, but I only recently put it in context after watching one of these [1] videos. It's terrifying. [1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bi1Kf-1qd6Y https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bi1Kf-1qd6Y
southernplaces7 3y ago
I live in Mexico and have for nearly two decades. I can tell you that blaming the United states on the violence in this country is a half-baked argument at best. Firearms availability to the cartels is only a part of a much wider, deeper problem of systemic corruption at all levels of government, causing widespread uselessness in the basic infrastructure of government doing its most fundamental job of providing public safety. In Mexico, the state and its functionaries (very much including the police) at all levels are too inept, too corrupt and too indifferent to handle their investigative and protective duties as things stand. This is a major cause of insecurity and high crime. It's only a secondary factor that the cartels and their weapons (many of which are not even bought from the U.S but instead stolen or bought from the corrupt public security agencies, unless you think you can buy RPGs and mortars in an American gun store, for example). That these cartels dominate so much isn't specifically because they can buy U.S weapons, or use money from drug sales to the U.S. to corrupt institutions. Instead they dominate because they can do all these things in a landscape where the state either retreats persistently, doesn't seriously apply itself to public security or simply sells itself to their bidding. Canada, to the north of the U.S also has plenty of drug demand, drug sales from the U.S and an even more open border, yet it remains a safe, well-run country. Why? Because unlike the government in Mexico, Canada's government takes its duties seriously and invests in applying them.
- zztop44 3y ago
  Yeah totally, I said one said “one reason”. :) I lived in Brazil for a while, and definitely saw that gangs can get plenty big and plenty violent with plenty of guns even just catering to the domestic drug market and without easy gun imports. But I also remember reading about the US$100,000,000 bribe allegedly paid to Pena Nieto in 2012. Like, damn, it’s gotta be hard to fight corruption in a middle-income country when the criminals have that kind of cash to throw around.

peepeepoopoo13 3y ago

It's shocking how far guns can travel from the southern US border. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_of_gun_laws_by_nation > Article 3 of Colombia's firearm law states that civilians may possess firearms only via permit issued at discretion of the competent authority.[45] > In 1993, Colombia legislated gun ownership, effectively establishing a government licensing monopoly. In 2016, president of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos signed an executive order suspending civilians from carrying firearms, with some exceptions including security details, hunting, private defense and collection. It was extended in 2018 by newly elected president Ivan Duque, albeit with the added stipulation: "for reasons of emergency or security ... taking into consideration among other factors, the particular circumstances of each application". > Gun laws in Honduras are stated in the Act on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Material of 2000.[199] In April 2002, the National Arms Registry was formed, requiring all citizens to register their firearms with the Ministry of Defense.[200] > In 2003, a ban on certain "assault rifles" was passed, restricting citizens from possessing military-style rifles such as the AK-47 and the M-16.[201] In 2007, an additional decree suspended the right to openly carry and conceal carry a firearm in public, and limited the number of firearms a person can possess.[202]

mikeyouse 3y ago

Yep, exactly right. It's like Chicago's gun control efforts when Gary is only a short drive away. Something like 70% of cartel guns recovered came from US manufacturers (Mexican government claims 90%) - but either way, they smuggle drugs north and cash / guns South. https://www.thetrace.org/2022/10/how-many-american-guns-mexican-cartels/ https://www.thetrace.org/2022/10/how-many-american-guns-mexi...

peepeepoopoo13 3y ago
[flagged]

totallywrong 3y ago

> aka the world’s biggest market for illegal drugs We've all heard this, but I only recently put it in context after watching one of these [1] videos. It's terrifying. [1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bi1Kf-1qd6Y https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bi1Kf-1qd6Y

southernplaces7 3y ago

I live in Mexico and have for nearly two decades. I can tell you that blaming the United states on the violence in this country is a half-baked argument at best. Firearms availability to the cartels is only a part of a much wider, deeper problem of systemic corruption at all levels of government, causing widespread uselessness in the basic infrastructure of government doing its most fundamental job of providing public safety. In Mexico, the state and its functionaries (very much including the police) at all levels are too inept, too corrupt and too indifferent to handle their investigative and protective duties as things stand. This is a major cause of insecurity and high crime. It's only a secondary factor that the cartels and their weapons (many of which are not even bought from the U.S but instead stolen or bought from the corrupt public security agencies, unless you think you can buy RPGs and mortars in an American gun store, for example). That these cartels dominate so much isn't specifically because they can buy U.S weapons, or use money from drug sales to the U.S. to corrupt institutions. Instead they dominate because they can do all these things in a landscape where the state either retreats persistently, doesn't seriously apply itself to public security or simply sells itself to their bidding. Canada, to the north of the U.S also has plenty of drug demand, drug sales from the U.S and an even more open border, yet it remains a safe, well-run country. Why? Because unlike the government in Mexico, Canada's government takes its duties seriously and invests in applying them.

zztop44 3y ago
Yeah totally, I said one said “one reason”. :) I lived in Brazil for a while, and definitely saw that gangs can get plenty big and plenty violent with plenty of guns even just catering to the domestic drug market and without easy gun imports. But I also remember reading about the US$100,000,000 bribe allegedly paid to Pena Nieto in 2012. Like, damn, it’s gotta be hard to fight corruption in a middle-income country when the criminals have that kind of cash to throw around.