High rates of gun violence in the Caribbean are being fueled by small-scale trafficking, largely from the United States, via shipping firms, commercial airlines and by post, according to a new report by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.
Caribbean countries suffer three times more violent deaths than the global average, often caused by firearms, despite tight regulations on gun ownership and little domestic manufacturing, the report found.
Last week, Caribbean heads of state vowed to ban civilian assault weapons across the region and stand with a lawsuit launched by the Mexican government seeking to hold U.S. gun-makers accountable for arms trafficking out of the country.
