Amnesty International has urged Spain to refrain from authorizing the export of firearms and hunting weapons to the United States, citing a lack of adequate control measures to mitigate the ongoing cycle of gun violence in the country.

The organization emphasizes the considerable costs and suffering caused by the unrestricted trade of such arms in the world's foremost military power.

In a report presented to Congress, the Spanish government identified the United States as the primary destination for Spanish arms exports, which include rifles, shotguns, carbines, pistols, and revolvers.

In 2023, the Spanish government granted 90 licenses for the sale of hunting firearms and ammunition to the U.S., totaling €233.9 million, comprising 66% of all authorized exports worldwide.

During the same year, operations executed amounted to €87.4 million, or 64.4% of the total.

For the first half of 2024, 29 licenses were approved, valued at €199.2 million, with actual exports reaching €42 million.

A significant 70% of purchasers are private companies, with the remainder consisting of gun shops.

According to Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit organization monitoring gun violence in the United States, over 600 mass shootings occurred between 2020 and 2023, resulting in more than 40,000 firearms-related deaths annually.

This figure aligns with statistics typically associated with countries at war.

Despite the United States having over 400 million firearms in circulation and being home to major global manufacturers, the country routinely imports large quantities of handguns, rifles, and other firearms, including 6.8 million units in 2020 alone.

Alberto Estévez, an arms trade expert at Amnesty International, criticized the lack of control and transparency regarding these exports, revealing that approximately 50% of them consist of ammunition and 42% of rifles.

To date, the new U.S. administration has not announced any specific tariffs for these products.

Amnesty International's recommendation against exporting hunting and sports shooting arms to the U.S. is part of a broader agenda submitted to parliamentary groups.

Following the appearance of Secretary of State for Trade Amparo López Senovilla, these groups are expected to propose resolutions aimed at enhancing control over Spanish defense exports and dual-use commodities in the coming weeks.

Additionally, Amnesty International is advocating for the continuation of the suspension of arms transfers to Israel and insists on ensuring the final destination for temporary exports of military materials for repair or re-export to third countries, as in the case of 18 armored vehicles sent to the Philippine Army that were completed in Israel.

The organization is also calling for an embargo on defense systems to Israel by the EU and maintaining the current policy of not allowing the transit of ships carrying arms for the Israeli military through Spanish waters.

Furthermore, Amnesty is demanding investigations into alleged flights transporting military materials from the Zaragoza base, although the organization has not publicly commented on these reports due to verification challenges.

During her recent appearance before the Congressional Defense Commission, Secretary López Senovilla reiterated that no definitive export operations of defense or dual-use materials destined for Israel have been authorized since October 7, 2023, following the Hamas terrorist attack that triggered the ongoing offensive in Gaza, resulting in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths.

She confirmed that military equipment transfers occurring since then were of a temporary nature, intended solely for repairs or maintenance.

The Spanish government's stance on this conflict remains explicit and adamant, as indicated by López Senovilla, who reported that 88 dual-use export operations were declined last year, with more than half (47) destined for Israel and nearly 20 potentially intended for military application.

Amnesty International is also calling for a ban on arms transfers to the Saudi border patrol until investigations into the mass killing of Ethiopian migrants are conducted.

The organization advocates for the approval of new licenses to be contingent upon ending impunity for war crimes in Yemen.

Moreover, it seeks the application of a verification protocol for the end-user of supplies to the United Arab Emirates to prevent diversion to Sudan amid its civil war.

The organization urges a focus on Kenya and Peru, recommending that the export of police materials to these destinations not be authorized until investigations into the violent repression of protests from 2022 to 2024 are completed.

This recommendation also extends to the sale of security and anti-riot gear to Bangladesh, Morocco, and Mauritania.

Finally, Amnesty International insists on the public disclosure of the application of the ex-post verification protocol, five years after its implementation.

Reportedly, this protocol has been applied in 42 operations across 21 countries, although the specific identities of those countries were not disclosed.

The organization also promotes an international campaign advocating for treaties prohibiting autonomous weapons or lethal robots, as well as the trade of torture implements.