The Supreme Court blocks Mexico’s demand against the United States arms manufacturers on poster violence

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled On Thursday in favor of American weapons manufacturers and blocked a demand for responsibility presented by the Government of Mexico, which sought to hold companies responsible for trafficking in their weapons to the south of the border to feed the violence of the posters.

The Government argued in its historical demand that US firearms manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson, Gock, Beretta and Colt were “helping and inciting” the illicit flow of weapons through the border.

Mexico sought $ 10 billion in damages, mandatory security mechanisms and sales restrictions for American manufacturing weapons.

Judge Elena Kagan said in her opinion that the Federal Law grants wide immunity to US armed companies and, without a doubt, protects them from Mexico’s statements.

“Mexico alleges that companies helped and installed the weapons of illegal sales routes to Mexican drug cartels. The question presented is whether Mexico’s complaint plausibly declares that behavior. We conclude that it does not,” Kagan wrote.

The 2005 Legal Legal Protection Law prohibits demands against any weapons manufacturer on the illegal acts of a person who uses one of a manufacturer’s weapons. But it does create an exception for claims related to the alleged violation of the rules of a weapons company that govern the sale and marketing of firearms.

Mexico argues that its demand fell under the exception and was looking for $ 10 billion in mandatory damage and security mechanisms of the court and sales restrictions for American manufacturing weapons.

“Mexico has not encountered that bar,” Kagan wrote for the Court. “Your complaint does not plausibly claim the type of” conscious … and the guilty participation in the irregularity of another “necessary to distinguish an assistant and pleasant load.”

“When a company simply knows that some bad actors are taking advantage of their products for criminal purposes, it does not help and abet. And that is so, even if the company could take measures to reduce the subsequent crimes of its users,” Kagan concluded.

The decision is the first time that the Superior Court intervened in the immunity of weapons manufacturer that the Congress aimed at protecting the industry.

Mexico only has a arms store, but it is flooded with millions of weapons made in the United States, most channeled in the country by straw buyers in the US.

“Today’s decision will end Mexico’s demand against the weapons industry, but does not affect our capacity and resolves responsible for those who break the law,” said David Pucino, legal director and deputy director of Giffords Law Center. “All survivors, in the United States, in Mexico and anywhere else, deserve their day in court, and we will continue to support them in their struggle for justice.”