Fighting firearms traffic.

• Author: Ochoa, Gina
• Position: OAS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The illicit traffic Of firearms constitutes one of the main delinquent manifestations associated with organized crime. Statistics show that the violence generated by this type of weapon is responsible for the majority of homicides registered in the region, which in some areas is as high as 80 percent. As OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza explained, in some nations the delinquent or organized crime death toll caused by small, light, illegally acquired, or fabricated firearms is comparable to the effects of a pandemic.

In light of this, the OAS through its Department of Public Security has designated the fight against firearms traffic as the central axis of its work. With the support of the United States government, the OAS has initiated a project called "Promoting Firearms Marking in Latin America and the Caribbean," aimed at strengthening public security and promoting peace in the region.

"Marking, reporting, and safekeeping information between states are essential processes to reduce illicit traffic of firearms and other criminal activities in the region. These processes allow the creation of mechanisms for sharing information and for reinforcing security and control measures that will help eliminate illegal trafficking," explained Adriana Mejía, director of the OAS Department of Public Security, in a seminar held in San José, Costa Rica, last December.

Last January the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Uruguay joined El Salvador in the ratification of an agreement with the OAS General Secretariat to implement the firearms...