Mexico: struggling for global denuclearization

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The Latin American country is a leader in the fight against nuclear bombs in the world, supporting the Treaty on this issue, developed by the UN

On September 29, 2017, Mexico became the fourth country to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, after a vote of 80 votes in favor against zero, in the Senate of the Mexican Republic, according to EFE.

Leer en español: México: en la lucha por la desnuclearización mundial

"The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was approved by a diplomatic conference held at the United Nations Organization on July 7, 2017, and was opened for signature on September 20, 2017," explains the International Committee. of the Red Cross, on its website.

However, this is not the first time that the Government of Mexico has officially presented its position against nuclear weapons in the world. In 1962, when bases of Soviet mid-range nuclear missiles were discovered in Cuban territory, there was "an episode that put the world on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe", as described by the Russian news agency, Sputnik.

For this reason, the president of Mexico at that time, Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, in favor of not experiencing a situation of such tension as happened in socialist Cuba, proposed the Treaty of the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Huffington Post mentions that this idea, better known as the 'Treaty of Tlatelolco', "laid the groundwork for the denuclearization of the region, an effort that has borne fruit to this day", since its real execution in 1969. From this arises the importance of Mexico in the struggle for denuclearization in the world.

The global nuclear panorama

Many might think that the Cold War ended in 1991, with the demise of the Soviet Union, its dissolution and the creation of the resulting countries. However, in almost 30 years, the rivalry between Russians and Americans is still latent and there are more than 13,000 nuclear weapons that both have endorse it.

According to CNBC, by March there were around 14,500 nuclear weapons in the world, 6,800 were from Russia, while 6,550 of them were held by the United States. This represents a decrease of more than 400 nuclear devices, in relation to 2017, according to data from the International Institute for Peace Studies in Stockholm (SIPRI, for its acronym in English).

However, these other seven countries also have weapons of this type among their war arsenal, although, of course, in smaller quantities than the other two great world powers:

1. France: 300
2. China: 270
3. United Kingdom: 215
4. Pakistan: 130-140
5. India: 120-130
6. Israel: 80
7. North Korea: 10-20

But these numbers become even more gloomy when they are contextualized with the horror caused if only one of those weapons is detonated on Earth. The Huffington Post recalls that in 1945, two nuclear bombs ended the Second World War. They were launched by the US Army on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the morning of August 6 of that year. 200 thousand people died because of the explosion and radiation caused.

The Organization of the United Nations feeds more terror when it says that if all the nuclear weapons that now exist in the world were launched (14,500), an explosion of some 15,000 megatons would be detonated; translation: more than a million bombs like those that ended with Hiroshima, almost 74 years ago.

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An insecure world

Along with Mexico, 10 other nations have also signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including Guyana, Thailand, and Vatican City. However, to enter into force, the UN requests the signature and ratification of 50 countries.

The BBC clarifies that, although this agreement was approved for subsequent collection of signatures by 122 countries in the UN, none of the holders of nuclear weapons support it. In that aspect resides his weakness.

"The negotiation of the Prohibition Treaty is a sign that most countries in the world do not believe that disarmament is a real goal for states that have nuclear weapons", said David Wright, co-director of the Union's Global Security Program. of US Concerned Scientists, in an interview with the British media.

That means the powers that possess the bombs do not want to give way, while the countries that do not have, are the ones that seek to change the world. At that point, it is where the intention to end nuclear bombs becomes somewhat ironic, because, after all: how to denuclearize the world, when those who have the power to change, do not decide to do it?

LatinAmerican Post | Christopher Ramírez Hernández

Translated from "México: en la lucha por la desnuclearización mundial"