Mexican President Launches Nationwide Disarmament Campaign to Curb Gun Violence
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum officially launched a nationwide campaign on Friday aimed at reducing the number of firearms on the country’s violence-ridden streets.
The initiative, titled "Yes to Disarmament, Yes to Peace," offers cash incentives for individuals who anonymously surrender weapons at designated drop-off points, including churches. Under the plan:
- Revolvers will earn gun owners 8,700 pesos ($430)
- AK-47 rifles will be exchanged for 25,000 pesos ($1,200)
- Machine guns will fetch 26,450 pesos ($1,300)
All collected firearms will be destroyed as part of the disarmament process.
“This program is part of our integral strategy to combat crime,” President Sheinbaum stated at the launch event, which included the symbolic destruction of a weapon by soldiers. “Why must we teach our children anything about violence?” she added.
The event also featured a family-friendly element where children, accompanied by their parents, could exchange toy guns for other toys to promote non-violent play.
The scheme, initially piloted in Mexico City since 2019, was officially expanded to a national level following its publication in the government’s gazette earlier this week. It will now be implemented across the country with the cooperation of the defense, interior, and public safety ministries, alongside support from religious authorities.
Mexico faces persistent violence tied to its lucrative illegal drug trade. In 2023 alone, the country recorded 31,062 homicides, with firearms responsible for 70% of the deaths, according to preliminary figures from the National Statistics Institute.
Despite Mexico’s stringent gun control laws that make legal firearm ownership nearly impossible, the government has consistently urged the United States to address arms trafficking across the border, which contributes to the widespread availability of illegal weapons in the country.
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