John Lindsay-Poland is a researcher whose recent studies focus on tracking the distribution of American weapons. Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, accused the United States of selling weapons to drug traffickers in a publication made on February 1, stating: "If there is any alliance anywhere, it is in the gun stores of the United States that sell high-powered weapons to these criminal groups."
In his study "No Shelter from the Storm: An Update on the River of Iron Arms," John Lindsay-Poland supported and analyzed the president's statements. According to the researcher, more than 70 small gun stores, mostly located in Arizona and Texas, are the main suppliers of weapons to the Mexican cartels. Since 2009, Texas and Arizona have been the leading U.S. states from which firearms are trafficked to Mexico, accounting for more than 60% of the weapons recovered in the Mexican country in the last decade.
During the same period, Mexico seized 70,614 weapons, and Lindsay-Poland pointed out that five out of six weapons come from these two states. The researcher highlighted that the control of gun sales depends on state laws and pointed out that California is the strictest state regarding gun sales, unlike Florida, which has a higher number of licensed gun dealers.
Sheinbaum accused the U.S. of selling weapons to Mexican cartels in response to criticisms from Donald Trump. This was confirmed by the activist, who mentioned that in Crestview, Florida, six men bought rifles and assault weapons on behalf of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
