Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a decree on Friday toughening civilian access to firearms, in an attempt to curb the rise in gun ownership during the presidency of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.
The decree fulfills a campaign promise by Lula, who criticized the most lax gun controls under Bolsonaro, arguing that they were responsible for a wave of political violence during last year’s elections.
Bolsonaro, who often he urged his supporters to arm themselves or risk being “enslaved,” he has said the guns make Brazil safer, noting a lower murder rate during his time in office.
Bolsonaro fueled gun culture by easing restrictions on “hunters, shooters, or collectors” (CACs), making it easier for people to register for those permits and store guns.
Lula’s decree reduced access to firearms for that group.
For example, a registered hunter, who previously could own up to 30 weapons, half of which could be restricted fire, will now only be able to own six. They will also have access to fewer bales and will need authorization from environmental protection agency Ibama.
Lula also handed over responsibility for civilian arms control from the army to the federal police. The military was criticized for poor oversight, incomplete databases, poor transparency, and poor information sharing with law enforcement.
