From the linked article:
"Most of the guns used to commit violence here in Mexico come from the United States," President Obama said during a speech at Mexico's Anthropology Museum. "I think many of you know that in America, our Constitution guarantees our individual right to bear arms. And as president, I swore an oath to uphold that right, and I always will.""But at the same time, as I’ve said in the United States, I will continue to do everything in my power to pass common-sense reforms that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and dangerous people. That can save lives here in Mexico and back home in the United States. It’s the right thing to do," Obama added.
Technically, as he is quoted in the article, he may be right on certain issues.
I haven't seen any supporting statistics, but I don't find it hard to believe that many US-made firearms are smuggled, illegally, across the border into Mexico.
Similarly, I don't find it difficult to believe that the US-made firearms smuggled, illegally, across the border may be responsible for a large majority of the violence in Mexico.
Also consider that Mexico is not known for producing a large number of firearms, domestically, so it stands to reason that, due to proximity and existing economic/diplomatic relations with the US, many US-made firearms would find their way, legally, across the border and into Mexico, thus increasing the number of US-made firearms in Mexico.
Additionally, Mexico's gun laws prevent law abiding citizens from owning firearms, so it stands to reason that those US-made firearms that made their way into Mexico (either legally or illegally) would most likely fall into the hands of those two groups of individuals in Mexico that are most prone to "violence"; criminals or state-sponsored police/security forces.
The illegally-obtained US-made firearms would most likely fall into the hands of criminals and drug cartels, who use the firearms to wage war against rival cartels and state-sponsored police/security forces.
The legally-obtained US-made firearms would most likely fall into the hands of the state-sponsored police/security forces, who use the firearms to wage war against criminals and drug cartels.
In either situation, "violence" (using US-made firearms) ensues.
So yes, I guess it could be argued that most of the guns used to commit violence in Mexico come from the United States.................
I do respect your views, however first off unless the President has numbers that others don't, this is hardly something that he should be quoting as gospel (that the US arms constitute the majority of the firearms used in Mexico's violence).
Second, Mexico does not prohibit firearms to its citizens, rather it's so restrictive that it's basically like they have nothing. For instance if the military uses a certain cartridge, then the citizens can't..........so no .223/5.56, no .308/7.62, 9mm, etc. The Govt also restricts calibers above a certain size, so anything above 22lr is gone. It's these types of laws that meant a lot of guys north of the border went south of the border to buy firearms. At this point that supply run to the North has run out because Mexico got raided, but it was a way for guys to get nice firearms for good prices some years back.
With regards to the firearms falling into cartel hands, yes I believe it. However to think that the Mexican forces use confiscated firearms as their primary form of arming the police forces, I find that difficult to believe.