[El Gato]

— The Mexican Army. More than 150,000 soldiers deserted in the last six years, according to Mexican Congressman Robert Badillo. Many took their weapons with them, including the standard issue M-16 assault rifle made in Belgium.

That would probably be the FNC, not the M-16, except that the Mexicans formerly used the H&K G-3, and are switching over to a locally designed 5.56x45 rifle, the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl, based on the H&K G36.

[stevie_d_64]

Looks like they found job security working for the cartels now...

[lentulusgracchus]

the Mexicans formerly used the H&K G-3

When I saw Pres. Luis Echeverria Campins's bodyguards near my Cancun hotel in 1980, they were armed with CAR-15's and M-16's for the most part, and wearing black fatigues.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

— The Mexican Army. More than 150,000 soldiers deserted in the last six years, according to Mexican Congressman Robert Badillo. Many took their weapons with them, including the standard issue M-16 assault rifle made in Belgium.

Actually, that would most likely be the M-16's made by FN, a Belgian company, in their US subsidiary in South Carolina for the US military who then in turn transfers them to the Mexican military where they find their way to the drug cartels.