By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MEXICO CITY, Mexico – President Felipe Calderon created a billboard asking the United States to stop the flow of weapons into Mexico.  The access to automatic weapons significantly contributes to the extensive violence in Mexico.  The message is in English and can be seen from the United States.

According to Fox News, the billboard weighs three tons and it was constructed from seized guns and other weapons.  It was placed on an international bridge in Ciudad Juarez.  President Calderon gave a speech while unveiling the billboard, urging the United States to stop the flow of weapons across the border.

CNN reports that Ciudad Juarez has become Mexico’s murder capital.  It is just across the border from El Paso, Texas where many guns – specifically automatic weapons – cross the border every day.  The United States has expressed interest in helping Calderon fight the drug wars; he says the most helpful move would be to stop the gun trafficking across the border.

Calderon went on to describe the trafficking as “inhumane” according to CNN.  Beyond the weapons, Calderon urged the United States to cut back on its drug consumption as well.  He said, “We need your help to stop this violence.  We need you to reduce your consumption of drugs and to dramatically reduce the flow of money to criminal organizations in Mexico.”

Although more than 140,000 weapons have been seized since December 2006 when Calderon took office, more than 47,500 people have been killed since then, according to The Associated Press and government reports.  Drug related violence is a huge problem in Mexico and the access to automatic weapons fuels the issue.

Calderon does acknowledge and praise President Obama’s attempts at reducing the flow of automatic weapons from the United States to Mexico, but emphasized that it is still not enough.

Recently, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives carried out a “Fast and Furious” operation that only exacerbated the problem, according to the LA Times.  The operation was supposed to serve the purpose of tracking the flow of illegally purchased American guns.  The effect was just to allow hundreds of weapons into Mexico without being intercepted, reports CNN.

Calderon’s somewhat-theatrical presentation will hopefully get the message across to U.S. lawmakers.  Calderon wants to see stricter laws to prevent the ease of access to automatic weapons.

For more information, please visit:

Associated Press — ‘No More Weapons!’ Billboard Placed on US Border — 17 Feb. 2012

CNN — Mexico’s President to  U.S.: ‘No More Weapons’ — 17 Feb. 2012

Fox News Latino — Mexico Billboard to US: No More Weapons! — 17 Feb. 2012

LA Times — Mexico to U.S.: ‘No More Weapons!’ — 17 Feb. 2012