US Easing of Gun Export Controls Could Send New Wave of Arms to Latin America
( Insightcrime.org ) US President Donald Trump has proposed a new reform that would ease firearm export controls for US weapons manufacturers, which could increase the already high number of US-sourced firearms used in criminal activities in Latin America. The proposal , published May 14, would shift authority to regulate exports of certain firearms and related products from the State Department to the Commerce Department. The move aims to streamline the approval process for arms exports so US manufacturers — suffering from decreased domestic sales in the Trump era — can sell more guns, ammunition and accessories abroad. “There will be more leeway to do arms sales,” a senior administration official told Reuters last year when the plan was first floated unofficially. “You could really turn the spigot on if you do it the right way.” The rule would apply to “commercial items widely available in [US] retail outlets and less sensitive military items,” the proposal states. That definition would cover products like assault-type rifles, military-grade sniper scopes, armor-piercing ammunition and most handguns. While many in Congress support the move, several powerful Senators have vowed to fight it. In a joint press release , the human rights organization Global Exchange and the Violence Policy Center, a pro-gun control group, slammed the proposal, saying it “will likely lead to more US guns getting into the hands of criminal organizations, human rights abusers, terrorist groups, and others who wreak harm.” Indeed, US-sourced guns play a major role in fueling criminal violence […]
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