The number of citizens registered as gun owners in Brazil has increased almost sixfold since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro took office. In 2018, nearly 120,000 Brazilians still possessed a registered weapon, up from about 675,000 in June 2022, the Brazilian Public Safety Forum (FBSP) said Tuesday based on official data. This corresponds to an increase of 474 percent.
“Since the Bolsonaro government took office, the number of firearms in circulation in the country has increased dramatically,” FBSP chairman and researcher Renato Sérgio de Lima told AFP. His organization estimates that there are approximately 4.4 million privately owned weapons in Brazil.
President Bolsonaro advised citizens to arm themselves
Bolsonaro, who was elected in 2018 and took office in 2019, has since relaxed the requirements for access to weapons by decree. He repeatedly called on the population to arm themselves, because “an armed people will never be enslaved”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
