/ Modified nov 7, 2019 9:49 a.m.

Mexico will work with US after Sonora Mormon murders

The country's foreign secretary said the collaboration will mirror response to a shooting in El Paso in August.

ebrard 2 VIEW LARGER Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard.
Rodrigo Cervantes/Fronteras Desk

MEXICO CITY — After Monday’s attacks in Sonora, Mexico, where three women and six children from a binational Mormon community were murdered, the Mexican government has promised to reinforce gun trafficking operations, while collaborating with its American counterparts.

Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said during a press conference that the government is committed to solving the case and bringing justice to the affected families.

"The community has dual citizenship, so Mexico and the U.S. will work together," Ebrard said, specifying it will be just like they did after the El Paso shooting in August.

Ebrard explained Mexico will allow the U.S. authorities to access the investigation files. The Attorney General’s Office will determine if support from the FBI or other U.S. authorities is required at some point.

durazo VIEW LARGER Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Alfonso Durazo.
Rodrigo Cervantes/Fronteras Desk

Secretary of Security Alfonso Durazo said that part of the investigation includes weapons trafficking, as the guns used for the attack were most likely from the U.S.

"Gun trafficking has allowed criminal groups to grow their capacity in Mexico," said Durazo, stating that 70% of their weapons come from the U.S.

"Mexican and U.S. agencies are preparing to soon launch a program to seal the borders against weapon contraband," Durazo said.

Fronteras Desk
This story is from the Fronteras Desk, a collaboration of Southwestern public radio stations, including NPR 89.1. Read more from the Fronteras Desk.
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona