Mexico warns of legal action against U.S. gunmakers amid terrorism designation dispute
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has cautioned U.S. firearms manufacturers that they could face legal consequences for allegedly aiding organized crime should Washington officially classify Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.
As pressure mounts from Donald Trump to curb drug trafficking, Mexico is urging the U.S. to take stronger action against the flow of firearms into its territory.
“If these criminal organizations are designated as terrorists, we will have to expand our lawsuit in the U.S.,” Sheinbaum stated during a press briefing. She hinted that gunmakers could be accused of complicity in such activities, adding, “Our legal team is analyzing the case, but they may be considered accomplices.”
She also pointed out that the U.S. Department of Justice itself acknowledges that nearly 74% of the weapons used by criminal groups in Mexico originate from the United States.
U.S. Considers Designating Cartels as Terrorist Groups
A report by The New York Times revealed that the U.S. State Department is preparing to label several criminal organizations in Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, and Venezuela as terrorist entities. Among the groups being considered for this classification are Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel.
Trump, who previously signed an executive order on January 20, argued that these organizations pose a national security threat beyond conventional organized crime.
Mexico estimates that between 200,000 and 750,000 firearms manufactured in the U.S. are smuggled across the border annually, with many linked to violent crimes.
Mexico’s Legal Battles Against U.S. Gunmakers
In August of last year, a $10 billion lawsuit filed by the Mexican government against six American firearm manufacturers was dismissed by a U.S. judge due to jurisdictional limitations. However, Mexico vowed to continue its legal battle against Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms.
A separate lawsuit in Arizona seeks penalties against gun dealers who allegedly supplied weapons used in violent crimes in Mexico.
Mexico has long enforced strict gun control laws, making legal firearm purchases extremely difficult. Nevertheless, drug-related violence has claimed approximately 480,000 lives since the government deployed military forces to combat cartels in 2006.
Earlier this month, Sheinbaum strongly refuted allegations from Washington that her administration is collaborating with drug cartels.
“We categorically reject the White House’s false claims about alleged ties between our government and criminal organizations,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “If there is any real alliance, it exists in U.S. gun stores, where high-powered weapons are sold to these criminal groups.”
Tensions between the neighboring countries have escalated, especially after Trump threatened a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports, citing concerns over illegal immigration and drug trafficking. However, the proposed tariffs have been temporarily suspended for 30 days.
