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Surge of guns and ammunition flowing from U.S. to Latin America and Caribbean, fueling conflict
Authorities have seen a surge of guns and ammunition flowing from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean, fueling conflict in regions already struggling with violence and unrest.
Last week, U.S.-based airlines were struck by gunfire while flying over Haiti’s airspace. While the origin of the firearms remains uncertain, Haiti has no domestic firearms manufacturing capacity, and aside from a small artisanal market, the majority of weapons fueling the violence are likely sourced from the U.S.
A new report from research organization Small Arms Survey reveals a staggering nearly 120% surge in firearm shipments seized en route from the U.S. to the Caribbean and Latin America since 2016.
“Available evidence indicates that traffickers in the U.S. are a major source of illicit weapons in the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Matt Schroeder, senior researcher at Small Arms Survey and author of the report. “The illicit acquisition and use of firearms in the Caribbean and Latin America ranks among the most pressing security threats in the hemisphere.”
Their analysis, based on previously unpublished border seizure data obtained through public records requests, highlights a growing problem. These figures represent only the weapons actually seized, leaving out the vast number of guns trafficked across the U.S. or uncovered through criminal investigations. While it’s unclear if these increases reflect more thorough screening, a rise in trafficking or improved data collection, the trend unmistakably points to a consistent demand for illicit firearms.
The black market of American guns and ammunition has been well-established by U.S. and international law enforcement as a key source of weapons fueling humanitarian crises and violence in places like Mexico, Haiti and beyond. A 2023 CBS Reports investigation found up to a million firearms are smuggled across the border annually, including military-grade weapons like grenade launchers and belt-fed Gatling-style miniguns.
The illicit flow of firearms is now a major concern across the Caribbean as well. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office shows that U.S.-sourced firearms account for the vast majority of the violence in Caribbean nations. The report states that 73% of the firearms recovered in the Caribbean between 2018 and 2023 were traced back to the U.S., with a significant portion of these weapons sold in Florida, Georgia and Texas. These firearms are responsible for 90% of homicides in some of the region’s most vulnerable nations.
The Small Arms Survey’s latest findings reflect these broader trends, with a troubling shift in the types of firearms being seized in shipments bound for the Caribbean. While shipments to Latin America, particularly Mexico, still account for the majority of firearm seizures, the Caribbean has seen a notable increase in the interception of AK- and AR-style rifles, as well as high-capacity magazines.
Of the seized rifles headed for the Caribbean, 77% were AK- and AR-style rifles, compared with 48% in shipments to Mexico and 61% to other Latin American countries — though the total number of rifles seized while heading to the Caribbean remains lower than the quantities seized in shipments to Latin America. In the Caribbean-bound shipments, 93% of the magazines that were identifiable by capacity were capable of holding more than 10 rounds, making them high-capacity magazines.
contributed to this report.
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The editors and writers of Food & Wine Magazine offer “Sunday Morning” viewers this tempting Thanksgiving dessert recipe.
Chris Simpson, Food & Wine Magazine; food stying by Julian Hensarling; prop styling by Claire Spollen
Brown Bag Apple Pie
By Joan Nalley Buchanan
Active Time: 30 mins.
Total Time: 3 hrs. 30 mins.
Servings: 8 to 10
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 2/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour (such as Gold Medal) (about 11 1/3 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
6 tablespoons whole milk
Filling:
4 medium (7-ounce) Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into thin (1/4-inch-thick) wedges (about 5 cups)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
Additional Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed, divided
Brown paper grocery bag, preferably ink-free
Instructions:
Make the dough: Preheat oven to 425°F. Stir together flour and salt in a large mixing bowl using a fork. Add oil and milk; stir until dough comes together. Knead dough using your hands until dough is smooth and no dry streaks remain.
Divide dough in half, and flatten each half into a disk, keeping 1 disk slightly larger for bottom crust. Cover using plastic wrap, and set aside. Clean and dry bowl.
Make the filling: Gently toss together apples, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, allspice, cloves, and 1 cup sugar in cleaned bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside, and let mixture stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is moistened.
Meanwhile, unwrap larger dough disk, and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll out to a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Peel off top sheet of parchment, and invert dough into a standard 9-inch pie plate; discard parchment. Gently press dough into corners; trim any overhang, and use scraps to patch any holes, if needed.
Transfer filling to prepared pie plate: Dot 1 tablespoon cubed butter over apples. Unwrap smaller disk of dough, and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll out to a 12-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick.
Peel off top sheet of parchment, and invert dough over filling. Peel off and discard remaining sheet of parchment. Trim any overhang; use scraps to patch any holes, if needed. Press edges of dough together, and crimp as desired.
Cut 3 small vents into top of pie, being careful not to cut too close to the edges. Dot pie with remaining 2 tablespoons cubed butter, and sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
Place pie in a brown paper grocery bag, folding over the end of the bag to secure; transfer to a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Carefully cut the bag with scissors, and slide the pie out. Let pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving, about 2 hours.
Notes
You can use any brown paper grocery bag, but it’s important to ensure that the bag doesn’t touch the heating element.
Depending on the size of your oven, you may need to move the rack to the lower third position to prevent the bag from touching the heating element.
FAQs
What is the difference between green apples and Granny Smith apples?
Granny Smith apples are green apples with crisp, firm skins and a lemonlike acidity. All Granny Smith apples are green apples, but not all green apples are Granny Smith. There are other green apple varieties out there like Pippin and Crispin.
What kind of oil should I use in a pie crust?
During the Great Depression home cooks began to use more vegetable oil and lard in cooking and baking when butter became more expensive. Buchanan initially used vegetable oil for this recipe, then changed to canola oil when it was created in the 1970s. Generally, it’s best to use neutral-flavored oils for pie crust and avoid oils like olive or flavored oils. The goal is for the oil to blend seamlessly into the crust, helping to bring the dry ingredients together to make a dough without impacting the final flavors of the pie or the pie’s filling.
Make ahead
Baked pie can be stored in an airtight container or covered at room temperature for up to three days.
For more info:
Check out the “Sunday Morning” 2024 “Food Issue” recipe index
