Army exchanges weapons for food vouchers in NLD

MIGUEL TIMOSHENKOV

NUEVO LAREDO. – The Municipal Government, in coordination with the Secretary of National Defense, is preparing a campaign to exchange firearms in Nuevo Laredo for food vouchers.

Mayor Carmen Lilia Canturosas reported that the objective of this program is that citizens can obtain a benefit in exchange for the delivery of any weapon or ammunition that they have in their possession.

Juan Ángel Martínez Salazar, secretary of the City Council, explained that this campaign to exchange firearms starts in Nuevo Laredo on Monday, October 17, at the Esplanade Founders located on Guerrero Avenue, between Héroe de Nacataz and Maclovio Herrera, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., for three months.

«After several work meetings between the municipal government and the Secretary of National Defense, we are going to formally start this coming October 17 the Arms Exchange program that has been carried out on other occasions. We are going to resume it again to encourage citizens who have weapons stored to leave them in this exchange center. Everything is with due secrecy and there will be no problem that they come to leave their weapons,” Martinez commented.

He mentioned that the people who come to exchange weapons or ammunition will receive a remuneration that can be in kind or cash, according to a tabulator that the Secretary of National Defense has.

“The objective is to collect for their destruction in a voluntary, anonymous, peaceful and agreed manner, firearms and explosives held by citizens in exchange for receiving a defined economic amount to a tabulator with the purpose of inhibiting their use in acts of violence”, Martinez cited.

Martínez added that in this campaign Sedena staff will be present, as well as the City Council Secretary, so that citizens have the confidence that everything will be peaceful.