Wednesday, January 8, 2025 - Mexico's government has launched a citizen disarmament program offering financial incentives of up to $1,300 for people who voluntarily hand in firearms, including machine guns and assault rifles, as part of efforts to curb violent crime.
The financial rewards for turning in weapons at designated collection
points in churches were detailed in the country's official gazette on Monday,
January 6. The incentives include 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.
President Claudia Sheinbaum last month encouraged citizens to
participate in the “Yes to Disarmament, Yes to Peace” initiative, assuring
those hesitant that no legal action would be taken against individuals
surrendering their firearms. "It’s about setting up places like the
lobbies of churches where people can go to turn in their weapons voluntarily
and give them economic incentives to give up their firearms,” she said.
Sheinbaum added, “We also had it in Mexico City, and it had significant
results,” referencing the success of a similar program implemented during her
tenure as mayor of the capital, a city of around nine million residents.
Mexico continues to grapple with violent crime driven largely by the
illegal drug trade. The country recorded 31,062 homicides in 2023, with
approximately 70 percent attributed to firearms, according to preliminary
figures from the National Statistics Institute.
Mexico maintains strict control over gun sales, making legal access to
firearms highly restricted. The government has also repeatedly urged the United
States to address arms trafficking across the shared border.
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