How trafficked American guns fuel Mexico's cartel violence
More than two thirds of guns recovered at Mexican crime scenes originate in the U.S. For decades, Mexico has struggled with staggering levels of gun violence fueled in large part by weapons trafficked across its northern border.
Now an investigation published by The Conversation has arrived at a new estimate of the scale of this illicit gun trade between the U.S. and Mexico in 2022: 135,000 guns.
Investigative journalist Sean Campbell and Topher McDougal, a professor of economic development at the University of San Diego, spent a year combing through multiple databases and court documents and conducting interviews to understand how the flow of guns works.
Their investigation reveals where in the U.S. the guns are coming from, what impact these American guns are having in Mexico, and how difficult it is for American law enforcement agencies to prosecute those trafficking guns across the border.
Listen to Campbell and McDougal talk about their investigation on The Conversation Weekly podcast.
You can read the full investigation here.
This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Newsclips in this episode from PBS News, CGTN, France24, ABC 7 and NewsNation.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Gemma Ware, The Conversation
Read more:
Guns in America: A liberal gun-owning sociologist offers 5 observations to understand America's culture of firearms
Guns bought in the US and trafficked to Mexican drug cartels fuel violence in Mexico and the migration crisis
Gun trafficking from the US to Mexico: The drug connection
Sean Campbell and Topher McDougal do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israel hostage deal in doubt as Hamas adds demands, US envoy calls terms ‘unacceptable'
Hamas has agreed to release 10 living hostages and return the bodies of 18 more, but the terms of the proposed deal have been deemed unacceptable by the U.S. and Israel. The group, which has been on the State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations since 1997, made the announcement in a statement Saturday and said it was being done on the condition that a number of Palestinian prisoners be returned in exchange as part of a means to achieve a permanent ceasefire. Israeli media reported that Hamas added new demands to the proposal from U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, including a permanent ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian aid flow into the strip. Witkoff's proposal did not include a full withdrawal or a ceasefire, the Jerusalem Post reported, and that Hamas added terms of its own. In a statement posted to X on Saturday, Witkoff called Hamas' response to the American proposal "totally unacceptable" and warned it "only takes us backward." He urged the group to accept the original framework in order to begin proximity talks as early as next week, which could pave the way for a 60-day ceasefire and the return of both living and deceased hostages. Freed Israeli Hostage Says Hamas Captors 'Wanted Kamala To Be Elected,' Were 'Very Scared' Of Trump's Return Read On The Fox News App In a statement before Witkoff's response, Hamas wrote: "After conducting a round of national consultations, and based on our immense sense of responsibility towards our people and their suffering, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) today submitted its response to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's latest proposal to the mediating parties. "This proposal aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensure the flow of aid to our people and our families in the Gaza Strip." Reacting to the announcement, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that while Israel had agreed to the updated Witkoff framework, "Hamas continues to cling to its refusal." The office emphasized that Israel remains committed to bringing its hostages home and defeating Hamas, citing Witkoff's remarks as confirmation that Hamas' latest stance undermines is holding 58 hostages in Gaza. Of these, Israeli intelligence assesses that at least 34 are deceased, leaving approximately 24 believed to be alive. More than 250 people were captured during the Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Return Of Trump Gives Families Of Gaza Hostages New Hope The latest proposal being negotiated involves the release of 10 living hostages and a number of bodies during a 60-day pause in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, including 100 serving long sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing a Hamas official and an Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity. U.S. negotiators had not publicized the terms of the proposal. Witkoff's office reiterated on social media that the proposed deal could allow "half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased" to return to their families if Hamas agrees to enter talks under the current terms. The statement stressed that the window to finalize the deal is narrowing, and that major negotiations could begin "in good faith" within days if Hamas accepts. "As stated by the U.S. President's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff: Hamas' response is unacceptable and sets the situation back," the Prime Minister's Office said. President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiators were nearing a deal. "They're very close to an agreement on Gaza, and we'll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow," Trump told reporters in Washington. Late in the evening, asked if he was confident Hamas would approve the deal, he told reporters: "They're in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it." Deep differences between Hamas and Israel have stymied previous attempts to restore a ceasefire that broke down in March. Israel has insisted that Hamas disarm completely, be dismantled as a military and governing force and return all hostages still held in Gaza before it agrees to end the war. Hamas has rejected the demand to give up its weapons and says Israel must pull its troops out of Gaza and commit to ending the war. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this article source: Israel hostage deal in doubt as Hamas adds demands, US envoy calls terms 'unacceptable'
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Soaring U.S. debt doesn't just put America at risk. It could trigger contagion across global markets, IIF warns
Treasury yields spiked recently amid mounting fears that investor demand for U.S. debt is waning just as supply is taking off, with a budget bill in Congress expected to add trillions to the deficit. But the effects of rising debt won't be limited to the American economy, according to the Institute of International Finance. It's not just Americans and the federal government poised to feel the effects of U.S. debt, which has exploded in recent years and could get even worse soon. Borrowing costs in certain countries often move in tandem, meaning volatility in Treasury bonds will create ripples in other debt, according to a recent report from the Institute of International Finance. 'The implications of rising U.S. debt levels are not limited to the domestic economy; they are also likely to trigger significant contagion and spillover effects across global bond markets,' IIF economists wrote on May 22. 'A potential increase in volatility in U.S. Treasury markets—driven by growing market attention to supply-demand dynamics and the composition of borrowing needed to finance anticipated large funding requirements—is likely to transmit to other jurisdictions, though the magnitude of the impact will vary.' U.S. debt has been top of mind lately as a Republican budget bill moving through Congress is expected to add trillions to the budget deficit in the coming years. That's jolted Treasury yields, and weak demand at a 20-year bond auction earlier this month exacerbated fears that investors won't have an appetite big enough for all the red ink coming soon. In fact, Deutsche Bank warned there's a buyer's strike among foreign investors, who are no longer willing to finance massive U.S. fiscal and trade deficits. IIF pointed out that there's a long-standing pattern of sovereign yields moving together, especially in the U.S., U.K., Germany and France, 'reflecting the deep interconnections among these economies through trade and capital markets.' Yield sensitivity is more limited in Japan and other some major emerging markets, according to IIF, but their interconnections were on display recently and showed that volatility can flow in both directions. A weak auction of 40-year Japanese government bonds on Wednesday sent JGB yields higher—and U.S. Treasury rates as well. Days earlier, George Saravelos, head of FX research at Deutsche Bank, predicted higher yields for Japanese assets would make them a more attractive alternative for local investors, encouraging further divestment from the U.S. To be sure, the vastness of the Treasury market and its deep liquidity mean that buyers and sellers will still be drawn to the U.S., but that immense size also crowds out others. IIF said in its report that there are signs of more sensitivity to rising U.S. debt levels among emerging markets, due in part to a shrinking pool of international capital available to sovereign EM borrowers. 'With the U.S. and Euro Area accounting for over 60% of global cross-border debt portfolios, emerging markets and developing countries represent less than 7%—with many individual countries accounting for only a fraction of a percent,' the report said. This story was originally featured on
USA Today
20 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump withdraws nominee to lead NASA Jared Isaacman, who has close ties with Elon Musk
Trump withdraws nominee to lead NASA Jared Isaacman, who has close ties with Elon Musk President Trump has pulled his nomination of Jared Isaacman, a billionaire commercial astronaut with close ties to Elon Musk, as NASA administrator. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump calls Elon Musk a 'fantastic guy' amid drug use allegations President Trump said he didn't know about Elon Musk's alleged drug use and backed the billionaire's cost-cutting. WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump has pulled his nomination of Jared Isaacman, a billionaire commercial astronaut with close ties to Elon Musk, as his nominee to serve as administrator of NASA. The White House confirmed the withdrawal on May 31 and said Trump will soon announce a new nominee to lead NASA. No reason was provided for parting ways with Isaacman, who led and financed private astronaut missions Polaris Dawn and Inspiration4, which was carried out by Musk's SpaceX. The withdrawal, first reported by the news website Semafor, comes after the 42-year-old Isaacman already cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in April and appeared on track for a full Senate vote. 'The Administrator of NASA will help lead humanity into space and execute President Trump's bold mission of planting the American flag on the planet Mars," White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston said in a statement. "It's essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump's America First agenda, and a replacement will be announced directly by President Trump soon." More: Elon Musk's rise and fall: From Trump's chainsaw-wielding sidekick to a swift exit The move comes a day after Musk, a business partner and friend of Isaacman, left the White House after spending four months as a senior White House adviser overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk joined Trump for an Oval Office news conference to mark the end of the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO's tenure in the White House. Conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has proven influential in many Trump decisions, raised alarm about the status of Isaacman's nomination in an X post, hours before the White House confirmed it was being withdrawn, writing, "There is reason to believe that Isaacman may be facing retaliation because of his friendship with Musk." More: Trump's pick to head NASA has been to space twice: Recapping billionaire's missions Isaacman, founder and CEO of the payment processing company Shift4 Payments, undertook his first private space venture in 2021, when he was commander and financier of the world's first all-civilian extended mission to space. In 2024, he returned to space with an all-civilian crew of amateur spacefarers with the Polaris Dawn missions, which he jointly funded with SpaceX. The Polaris Dawn mission got off the ground on Sept. 10 with the help of a Falcon 9 rocket, which propelled the crew to orbit on a SpaceX Dragon capsule from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew also included pilot Scott 'Kidd' Poteet and mission specialists Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. NASA has lacked a full-time administrator since Bill Nelson, NASA administrator in the Biden administration, stepped down on Jan. 20 when Trump was inaugurated. Contributing: Eric Lagatta of USA TODAY Reach Joey Garrison @joeygarrison.
