Former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s legacy on gun ownership in Brazil is being challenged by current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula has taken steps to restrict access to firearms and reverse the trend of increasing gun ownership in the country. On Friday, Lula signed a decree that tightens regulations on gun ownership, limiting civilians to owning only two firearms instead of the previous allowance of four. The new regulations also require documentation to affirm the necessity of holding a weapon and decrease the amount of ammunition a person can have per gun.
During the signing ceremony, President Lula emphasized the importance of responsible gun ownership and expressed concerns about the proliferation of gun arsenals in the hands of the people. While some citizens argue that owning a gun at home provides a sense of safety, Lula stressed the need to prevent excessive gun ownership.
Under Bolsonaro’s presidency, gun ownership in Brazil soared as restrictions were loosened and the purchase of firearms was encouraged. Gun manufacturers also gained significant influence, particularly within the conservative political sphere. However, despite the increase in gun ownership, Brazil has not experienced a proportional rise in violent crime.
According to a report by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety, homicides in the country have actually reached their lowest point in a decade. The report revealed that violent crime resulted in the deaths of 47,500 people last year, marking a 2.4 percent decrease from the previous year. Criminologists caution against attributing the decline in homicide rates solely to increased gun ownership, as other factors such as public security policies, social programs, and a fragile truce among criminal gangs also contribute to the decrease.
Nevertheless, firearm-related homicides still persist in Brazil, accounting for 77 percent of the country’s homicides in 2022, in contrast to the global average of 44 percent. Carolina Ricardo, the director of the Instituto Sou da Paz, a nonprofit group focusing on public security, highlights the need to address this high percentage of firearm deaths. She credits public security policies and social programs aimed at keeping children in school as significant factors in maintaining low homicide rates.
President Lula’s new restrictions on gun ownership have received support from the public security research group, the Igarape Institute. The institute commends the measures as a step toward responsible gun control in Brazil. The new regulations include a shorter validity period for civilian gun permits (three to five years instead of ten under Bolsonaro) and the closure of a loophole that allowed carrying loaded weapons into public spaces if the person claimed to be heading to a gun club.
Lula himself expressed his commitment to an unarmed country in a tweet, stating that it is the security forces who should be armed responsibly. The ongoing debate over gun control in Brazil continues to highlight the complex relationship between gun ownership, violent crime rates, and the need for comprehensive public safety policies.