President López Obrador has called on the government of the United States to pass stricter legislation on gun sales after a shooting in El Paso, Texas, killed 21 people, including eight Mexican citizens.

The president said on Monday that permissive gun laws in the United States “have negative effects on many Americans and also on us.”

“We’re making a special effort to address the damage caused by guns in our country,” he said. “According to current legislation, there is more gun control here than in other countries.”

The president also mentioned the “fast and furious” gunwalking scandal in which U.S. government officials allowed weapons to be smuggled into Mexico during the administrations of presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

“If we look at this objectively, we’d have to say that the two main political parties in the United States have not taken gun control seriously,” he said. “For example, in Operation Fast and Furious, where [arms smuggling] was allowed, those who controlled the presidency then are now in the opposition. I’m only saying this to be balanced.”

The president said he will avoid making in-depth statements about U.S. politics because he doesn’t want to interfere in the electoral processes of other countries.

“We don’t want what we say to be used for electoral ends,” he said. “We need to remember that there are elections, and we don’t want to get involved.”

López Obrador added that he has instructed Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to explore legal actions that Mexico can take in response to the deaths of the Mexicans in the shooting.

“Marcelo has instructions to file the required complaints,” he said. “We’re going to make a complaint about terrorism with the United States government, so that it will take action according to its own laws.”

Source: Milenio (sp)