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MEXICO CITY | Sat Jul 21, 2012 4:44pm EDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon condemned U.S. gun laws as "mistaken" and urged Washington to review them after a shooter killed 12 people and injured more than 50 others at a U.S. movie theater on Friday.

In comments posted on his Twitter account on Saturday, Calderon offered his condolences to the United States after a gunman went on the rampage with an assault rifle at a midnight premier of the new Batman film in Aurora, Colorado.

But Mexico's president, who has repeatedly called on Washington to tighten gun controls to stop weapons flowing from the United States into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, said U.S. weapons policy needed a rethink after the killings.

"Because of the Aurora, Colorado tragedy, the American Congress must review its mistaken legislation on guns. It's doing damage to us all," Calderon said.

The presidency of Calderon, who leaves office at the end of November, has been overshadowed by his efforts to crack down on the drug gangs. Fighting among the cartels and their clashes with the state have killed more than 55,000 people since 2007.

In February, Calderon appealed to the United States to halt the flow of arms by unveiling a massive sign on the Mexican-U.S. border reading "No More Weapons!" The letters on the billboard in the city of Ciudad Juarez were made of recycled guns seized by security forces.

Calderon has also urged Washington to revive a ban on assault weapons in the United States that expired in 2004.

(Reporting By Dave Graham; Editing by Eric Walsh)

 
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Comments (238)
GFR wrote:
Like we should listen to a corrupt mexican politician who has watched drug dealers kill 47,000 mexican citizens and done nothing. Calderon cares nothing for the mexican people, if he did he would allow the citizens to protect themselves against the drug dealers – instead only the drug dealers have weapons – the citizens are helpless sheep for the slaughter.

Mind your own business mexico – control your own border and keep the illegals out of the US while you’re about it.

Jul 21, 2012 7:41pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
navyhm1 wrote:
When Mexico gets their house in order you call us. Does reviewing gun laws mean that there will be no more road blocks by non-uniformed people with automatic weapons in the middle of no where between Tucson and Puerto Penasco? I do not ever remember see something like that in the US.

The only people with guns in Mexio are the criminals and the body guards for those that can afford them. Oh, and the cops, if you can trust them……

Hey, work on those immigration laws too.

Jul 21, 2012 7:45pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
RoninMaximus wrote:
Calderon’s remarks are laughable…that is to state the obvious. Mexico has a long standing ban on firearms. Yet, he blames his country’s drug cartel rampages and war on innocent people, with its carnage Americans are served up on a daily basis as having its roots of blame in America. Mexico is in no position to implore the US Congress to pass legislation infringing on the 2nd amendment, or any other for that matter.
His country’s history of murder and mayhem is well established, yet he would attempt to tell the US what to do? Despicable liar and another in a long line of Mexican “leaders” who continue the poverty of the people of Mexico while really representing the small elite and the perpetuation of their own fortunes at the expense of the majority.

Jul 21, 2012 7:46pm EDT  --  Report as abuse