**Supreme Court Declines Mexico's Lawsuit Against U.S. Gun Manufacturers**

The Supreme Court has issued a ruling preventing the Mexican government from suing American gun makers, aiming to hold them accountable for drug cartel-related violence. The unanimous decision, articulated by Justice Elena Kagan, emphasized that U.S. law shields gun manufacturers from such litigation.

Justice Kagan noted that Mexico's arguments lacked plausibility regarding claims that American firearms companies had knowingly assisted in illegal gun sales to Mexican drug cartels. The Mexican government had contended that the proliferation of U.S.-made firearms had significantly contributed to cartel violence, impacting the nation's security infrastructure and resources.

This legal battle initiated in 2021, when Mexico sought $10 billion in damages through a lawsuit filed in a federal court in Massachusetts. The lawsuit included numerous American gun makers and one distributor. The Mexican government accused these entities of negligence in the marketing and distribution of high-capacity firearms, asserting that their practices facilitated illegal trafficking into Mexico.

However, during oral arguments in March, the justices showed skepticism about the direct connection Mexico needed to establish between the gunmakers and the criminal activities of the cartels. A critical point of contention was the applicability of a 2005 U.S. law that offers substantial protections to gun manufacturers and distributors against liability for injuries caused by their products.

In her opinion for the court, Justice Kagan reaffirmed that the existing U.S. legislation serves to insulate gun makers from claims analogous to those presented by Mexico. Consequently, the court ruled in favor of dismissing the lawsuit, leaving Mexico to seek alternative solutions to address the violence fueled by drug cartels.