Brazil's President Bolsonaro signed a decree to more easily allow Brazilians to buy guns and keep them in the home for self-defense.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday signed a decree that will temporarily make it easier for Brazilians to buy guns, despite fears the move could aggravate already staggering violent crime.
The executive order, signed in a live television broadcast following a cabinet meeting, allows "good citizens" to more easily own firearms, said Bolsonaro, a former army captain.
"To guarantee the legitimate right of defense, as president I am using this weapon," he said, indicating the pen he then used to sign the decree.
The far-right president ran on a law-and-order platform. His message resonated with voters in Brazil, which in 2017 had a record 64,000 murders, more than any other country.
Tuesday's decree makes it much easier for adults with no criminal record to buy guns and keep them at home.
It does not extend to carrying weapons -- concealed or otherwise -- in public, which remains restricted to police, public or private security personnel, and the military.
A ministerial source told AFP that the new decree took effect immediately, without needing congressional approval.
Bolsonaro has said he wants to overturn a 2003 law that was tantamount to banning civilians from purchasing guns.
You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time...and those are pretty good odds.
Brett Maverick, gambler on TV (also used by Progressive leaders everywhere)
Maybe. But from what I've seen of the many videos out of Brazil involving kidnapping, robbery, home invasion, carjacking and the like, it sort of seems the 'off duty cop' contingent has a good handle on the situation. So many situations Sr to get resolved by these guys. It's almost like the media and police are covering up the fact that ordinary citizens with illegally obtained pistols are capable of sorting out criminals. Nah, that couldn't happen, right?