Banana Pundits

Solon Brochado: While the population has said “no” to the prohibition of firearms commerce, it’s still nearly impossible for an average person to legally buy a gun in Brazil, thanks to the provisions of Law 10.826, the so-called Disarmament Statute, which was approved in December, 2003. For starters, a registration is said to cost about R$ 1.000, while minimum wage is currently R$ 300 a month.

More than that, whoever decides to buy a gun must provide a declaration of aptitude (a sort of recomendation letter) from the Federal, State, Military and Electoral Justice. He must also prove he is employed and has a fixed residency, and has to pass a psychological and technical aptitude test.

Anyone who had a gun prior to the passing of the law will have to re-register their guns in three years, and meet all these standards (including proving again the need for such a gun). Some people say such provisions are already being used to enact a practical ban on gun ownership, since it is up to the government to decide whether or not you have the need for a gun, as well as it is up to them to set registration and licensing costs.

So, the “no” victory has brought public attention to eight lawsuits filed at the Supremo Tribunal Federal [Brazil’s Supreme Court], prior to the referendum, questioning the constitutionality of some of the statute’s articles. They hope to make it a little less difficult for the average citizen to legally buy and mantain guns.

On an interesting note, the Court’s president [something like SCOTUS’ Chief Justice], minister Nélson Jobim, who is considered a strong candidate for the next presidential election, has already declared himself in favor of banning guns in the country. According to Jobim, Brazilians are not prepared to handle firearms. To the translation, then:

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Solon Brochado: While the government and some NGOs seem to still be worried about legally owned guns in the country, Amnesty International has released a report on Human Rights conditions in the country, noting high levels of murders commited by policemen. Also, it worries that not much has been done to protect whistleblowers and human right activists in general.

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Solon Brochado: I don’t think I’m too wrong in believing a “yes” victory at the referendum would be greeted as the victory of a dream, of an idea of peace, over violence and weapons of destruction. While the “no” front would’ve said it was a loss of the whole society, that would’ve traded the important right to self defense in exchange of a feeling of more safety.

Instead, the “no” victory keeps being portrayed as a marketing victory, where people were prey to a good slogan. Even with the Globo organization, always depicted by the left as the greatest manipulator of the public opinion, agressively lobbying in favor of a “yes” vote.

According to a piece on O Globo, the coordinator of Viva Rio, a NGO long identified with gun control, says those in favor of the disarmament come out of the referendum victorious, even if defeated. According to him, while throughout the world there is a push in favor of arming even more people, in Brazil over 33 million voted in favor of even harder restrictions on gun commerce. Nevermind the fact that almost 60 million voted against it, or that the vote was mandatory.

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