How America’s Gun Problem Stokes Narco Violence Abroad

What does U.S. gun culture have to do with the drug war?

The massive amount of registered and unregistered guns in the United States isn’t usually thought of as a precipitation force for violence abroad, but in the case of the drug war it has helped fuel countless acts of mass violence in Central and South America. The ready availability of all manner of weaponry, acquired legally (or less than legally) has increased the scale and scope of cartel fueled conflict.

Guns flow out of the United States and into conflicts in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil and elsewhere. And yet rarely is stopping gun sales part of the political discourse around stopping gang violence and the resulting migration. Recently however, the government of Mexico took it upon themselves to sue gun manufacturers in a Boston federal court. The defendants include Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.; Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc.; Beretta U.S.A. Corp.; Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, and Glock Inc, and Interstate Arms. It’s a HUGE step towards holding gun manufacturers accountable for violence that no one seems to know how to stop.

The Bitchuation Room’s full discussion with Ioan Grillo, journalist and author of the new book “Blood Gun MoneyHow America Arms Gangs and Cartels,” was recorded on 8/3. For early access to special episodes, become a Patron at

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