Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday launched a nationwide disarmament campaign aimed at reducing the number of illegal firearms on the country’s violence-plagued streets.
The initiative, titled “Yes to Disarmament, Yes to Peace,” offers financial incentives for anonymously surrendered weapons. Drop-off points, including churches, will allow citizens to trade firearms for cash: 8,700 pesos ($430) for a revolver, 25,000 pesos ($1,200) for an AK-47 rifle, and 26,450 pesos ($1,300) for a machine gun. All surrendered firearms will be destroyed.
“This is part of our integral strategy for fighting crime,” President Sheinbaum said during the launch event, which included a symbolic weapon destruction ceremony by soldiers.
Children attending the event with their parents were also encouraged to trade toy guns for other toys as a gesture to promote non-violence among younger generations.
Expansion of Existing Program
First introduced in Mexico City in 2019, the disarmament initiative is now being extended nationwide. The program will be managed by the defense, interior, and public safety ministries, with support from religious authorities.
The campaign follows official publication in the government gazette earlier this week and comes as Mexico grapples with widespread violence fueled by the multibillion-dollar illegal drug trade.
Staggering Gun Violence Statistics
In 2023, Mexico recorded 31,062 homicides, 70 percent of which were firearm-related, according to preliminary data from the National Statistics Institute. Despite strict gun control laws that make legal firearm ownership almost impossible, the country has been inundated with weapons smuggled from the United States.
Mexico has repeatedly urged Washington to address cross-border arms trafficking as part of broader efforts to combat gun violence.
