Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Starting July 27, the Executive Secretariat of Public Security, in coordination with the Mexican Army, will hold peace and voluntary disarmament fairs in communities across five municipalities, aiming to surpass last year’s collection of 693 firearms, ammunition, and toy weapons.
Adrián Martínez Ortega, head of the executive secretariat, said the goal is to remove weapons and ammunition from circulation and promote a culture of peace among children, who can turn in toy guns. The fairs will begin in Chetumal on July 27, followed by Javier Rojo Gómez on July 28, Calderitas on July 29, Nicolás Bravo on July 30, and will also visit Playa del Carmen, Benito Juárez, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and José María Morelos.
The events will feature recreational activities to encourage children to exchange toy weapons for educational and sports toys. Adults can turn in firearms, ammunition, or explosives in exchange for a financial incentive, Martínez explained.
Last year, police agencies facilitated the exchange of 693 items, including weapons, ammunition, and magazines. Of those, 554 were toy weapons or violent toys, swapped for 502 educational or sports games.
In the community of Sergio Butrón Casas, in Othón P. Blanco municipality, authorities collected 223 items including ammunition and firearms. In Tulum, 36 toy weapons were exchanged for traditional toys. In Playa del Carmen, 38 items including weapons and ammunition were turned in, along with 149 toy weapons. In Othón P. Blanco, 435 weapons or ammunition items were collected, along with 174 toy weapons, and 149 regular toys were given in exchange. José María Morelos saw the second-highest participation, with 109 weapons or ammunition items and 80 toy weapons received, all exchanged for sports toys.
In Benito Juárez municipality, 57 items and 76 violent toys were collected, exchanged for the same number of regular toys. In Bacalar, 54 weapons or ammunition items were turned in, along with 39 violent toys from children, who received 25 educational toys in return.
