Bolsonaro has allowed politicians and journalists …

In Brazil, politicians, truck drivers and journalists will be able to carry weapons on public roads. In the decree signed yesterday by the Brazilian right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, the possession of the weapons was released, which had already been relaxed at the beginning of his term. According to the new resolution, signed Tuesday, firearms clbadified as short and using ordinary ammunition, such as 40, 45 and 9 mm pistols can be bought and loaded by all selected citizens, a use that was previously reserved for armed forces and police.

The decree introduces amendments to the so-called Disarmament Statute to allow the carrying and marketing of weapons to politicians elected to public office, truck drivers, journalists covering police affairs, lawyers, prison officers, private guards, transit agents and employees of securities companies, among others. "Public security begins inside the house," said the far right, who posed with his ministers Tuesday, making a characteristic gesture with a weapon in his hand after signing the the resolution. Bolsonaro likes to quote his personal case to illustrate his penchant for weapons at home. According to his story, he taught his four sons to handle revolvers from the age of six, from the moment they enter primary school.

The decision was published yesterday in the Official Journal of the Union and aroused the surprise because on Tuesday, Bolsonaro had directed an act in which he had claimed that the carrying of weapons and ammunition in the street would only be authorized only for hunters and shooters.

According to the President, this decree will guarantee the individual right that anyone wishing to possess and carry a firearm can do. In this sense, Bolsonaro told Red TV that citizens have the right to defend their property and that in their opinion, the best model of penal code is the United States, where each state has its law. In this way, he finally held one of the promises of his strongest campaign, largely supported by the Congressional "bullet bancada".

The resolution, also signed by the Ministers of Justice and Security, Sérgio Moro; Defense, Fernando Azevedo e Silva, and Chief of Staff, Onyx Lorenzoni, also lifted some existing restrictions on the import of weapons and ammunition. However, this will only take effect within 30 days. "We have broken the monopoly (of weapons manufacture) but that will only take effect within 30 days, because I want to talk to Paulo Guedes (Minister of Economy) about taxes so as not to harm the Brazilian company, "said the president quoted by the newspaper Folha de San Pablo.

The text of Tuesday's decree, which deals with the acquisition, registration, possession, transport and marketing, also allows sport shooters, collectors and hunters, known in Brazil as CAC, to travel with the loaded weapon and have the right to acquire up to a thousand cartridges a year, instead of the current 50, depending on the size.

The decree complements another dictation of 11 January, which relaxes the requirements for the sale of weapons to civilians. The provision amended the so-called disarmament law, a law pbaded in 2003 and a year after its approval, it managed to reduce homicide rates in Brazil. The Statute allowed the possession of weapons to persons over 25 years of age without a criminal record and carrying out a lawful activity, as long as they demonstrated the psychological and technical capacity to use it, and justified their need. Now it will not be necessary anymore.

As in the decree signed in January, which allowed to buy up to four weapons and left the possibility to buy more, the president insisted that this new measure responds to a request from Brazilians to 2005. That year, nearly 64% of Brazilians rejected a referendum law to ban the sale of arms.

For Caio Pizetta Torres, a specialist in safety issues related to risk management, this measure opens the door to facilitating the wearing of weapons. "It is enough for an ordinary citizen to join a shooting club and participate in a drive to obtain the registration and, therefore, the right to travel with loaded weapons, on the way to the site." In practice, the verification of this requirement is subjective and offers the holder of the weapon the opportunity to always claim to be in transit, "he said. According to the expert, the number of registrations is expected to skyrocket in the years to come.