Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published documents supporting the Mexican government's lawsuit against the U.S. arms manufacturers and distributors on its official website, local daily newspaper Excelsior reported Friday.

On August 4, 2021, the Mexican government filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court in Massachusetts against 11 U.S. firearms manufacturers, accusing them of negligent and illicit practices that foment illegal cross-border arms trafficking.

Mexico estimates that at least half a million weapons smuggled across the border each year make their way into the hands of criminals, increasing violent crimes in the Latin American country.

"In response to the principles of maximum publicity contemplated in the Federal Law of Transparency and Access to Public Government Information and given that the Mexican government has concluded specific processes within the current procedural stage of the lawsuit filed against weapons manufacturers and distributors in the U.S., the arguments presented so far before the federal court in Massachusetts are made public," the statement said.

Attached to the statement are documents about the lawsuit, the Mexican government's reply to the response of the sued American arms companies, as well as briefs presented by friends of the Court in support of the government's arguments.

Read more: Mexico sues U.S. gunmakers for contributing to its gun violence