MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula signs decree limiting access to guns

“We are going to continue fighting for a disarmed country,” Lula said

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Friday signed a decree limiting access to guns as part of the “Security Action Program” to curb violence in South America's largest country, it was reported.

The decree on the “responsible control of guns” brings down from 4 to 2 the number of guns and their ammunition for personal defense purposes. It also requires permit applicants to demonstrate the effective need to acquire guns. It also reduces from 30 to 6 the number of guns for hunters, sport shooters, and collectors, in addition to limiting the operating hours of shooting clubs, which must also be at least one kilometer away from schools.

The measure was launched during a ceremony at the Planalto Palace, together with Security Minister Flávio Dino. “We are going to continue fighting for a disarmed country,” Lula said after the signing. “Those who have to be armed well are the Brazilian police and armed forces,” he added.

The president intends to reverse the proliferation of guns among civilians, which advanced during the Bolsonaro administration (2019-2022).

According to the NGO Instituto Sou da Paz, in July last year hunters, sport shooters, and collectors had more than one million guns, almost three times as many as the 350,000 registered in December 2018, a month before Bolsonaro took office. “The decree represents one more step to resume parameters of responsibility and legal certainty in gun control in Brazil,” the NGO said Friday, in a joint note with the public security institute Igarapé.

The government also presented bills to toughen penalties against “anti-democratic” acts or attacks against authorities, and to up penalties against violence in schools. The Executive is assuming “responsibility for public security”, in an attempt to “reduce violence, both in the cities and in the Amazon,” Lula said.

With the new rule, the control of hunters, sport shooters, and collectors, shooting clubs, gun stores, and other premises will be transferred from the Army to the Federal Police.