No More Weapons: Juarez Is Tearing Down a Huge Reminder of Its Bloody Past Kierran Petersen - KBIA.org
go to original June 19, 2015

Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon erected this 'No More Weapons' sign in 2012 at the foot of the Bridge of the Americas in Ciudad Juárez. (Mónica Ortiz Uribe)

Crews in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez have begun dismantling a sign reading “No More Weapons!” — hoping to attract tourists to what was once known as the deadliest city in the world.

Five years ago there were over 3,000 homicides in Juárez — or about eight murders a day — according to figures released by the Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office. Today that number is much lower, and city officials are hoping that tearing down the three-ton sign will help remove some of the city’s bad reputation.

The sign is made out of weapons confiscated by the Mexican army and faces the United States, which some see as aggressive.

That's because when it was built three years ago, then-Mexican President Felipe Calderón blamed lax US gun control policies for the influx of weapons to Mexico.

Read the rest at KBIA.org

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