Authorities have seen an increase in the supply of guns and ammunition from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean, exacerbating the conflict in a region already wracked by violence and unrest.
Last week, US-based airlines were shot by bullets While flying over Haitian airspace. Although the origin of the firearms remains uncertain, Haiti has no domestic firearms manufacturing capability, and apart from a small artisanal market, most of the weapons fueling the violence are probably obtained from the US.
A new report from research organization Small Arms Survey shows that gun shipments seized en route from the US to the Caribbean and Latin America have increased by a staggering 120% since 2016.
“The available evidence suggests that smugglers into the United States are a major source of illicit arms to the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Matt Schroeder, senior researcher at the Small Arms Survey and author of the report. “The illegal acquisition and use of firearms in the Caribbean and Latin America is one of the most serious security threats in the hemisphere.”
Their analysis, based on previously unpublished border seizure data obtained through public records requests, sheds light on a growing problem. These figures only represent weapons actually seized, leaving out the large number of guns smuggled throughout the US or uncovered through criminal investigations. Although it is unclear whether these increases reflect more intensive testing, a increase in smuggling or better data collection, the trend clearly points to a continued demand for illegal firearms.
The black market for American guns and ammunition has been well established by US and international law enforcement as a major source of weapons fueling humanitarian crises and violence in places like Mexico, Haiti, and beyond. one 2023 cbs report investigation One million firearms are smuggled across the border each year, including military-grade weapons such as grenade launchers and belt-fed Gatling-style miniguns.
The illicit flow of firearms is now a major concern in the Caribbean region as well. a fresh report The Government Accountability Office finds that US-sourced firearms are responsible for the majority of violence in the Caribbean. The report states that 73% of firearms recovered in the Caribbean between 2018 and 2023 were traced to the US, with a significant portion of these weapons being sold in Florida, Georgia and Texas. These firearms are responsible for 90% of murders in some of the most fragile countries in the region.
The latest findings of the Small Arms Survey reflect these broader trends, including a disturbing shift in the types of firearms being seized in shipments bound for the Caribbean. While shipments to Latin America, particularly Mexico, still account for the majority of firearm seizures, the Caribbean has seen a significant increase in interceptions of AK- and AR-style rifles, as well as high-capacity magazines.
Of the rifles seized en route to the Caribbean, 77% were AK- and AR-style rifles, while 48% were destined for Mexico and 61% to other Latin American countries – although 15% of the rifles seized en route to the Caribbean The total number still remains the same. Less than the quantity seized in a shipment destined for Latin America. In the shipment to the Caribbean, 93% of the magazines identified by capacity were capable of holding more than 10 rounds, making them high capacity magazines.
Contributed to this report.