27 October 2005

Campaigners for gun control in Brazil and around the world expressed disappointment at the result of Brazil’s gun ban referendum in which 64% of the population voted No to banning the sale of guns and ammunition.

‘The financial and marketing power of the gun lobby and the gun industry in Brazil won in the end,’ said Rebecca Peters, Director of the International Action Network on Small Arms. ‘We are disappointed at this lost opportunity to take a dramatic stand against gun violence, but we know the country’s strict new guns laws will continue to help save lives.’

The referendum was one of the measures contained in a tough national gun law introduced in December 2003, which made it illegal to carry guns, imposed tighter restrictions for obtaining a gun, and stiffened penalties for using or owning guns illegally. In 2004, 3200 fewer people died from gunshot wounds, a drop of 8% and the first decrease in 13 years.

‘W e will keep fighting to prevent gun deaths,’ said Jessica Galeria of the NGO Viva Rio, an IANSA member that campaigned for the ban. ‘Most Brazilians do not own guns and do not believe guns make a household safer. But the No campaign exploited people’s fears: that police cannot protect them; that the government was trying to take away their “rights”.’

The pro-gun lobby claims that if the sale of guns is banned, only criminals will have guns. But the fact is that the majority of crime guns were originally legally owned.

"The victory of the NO vote is a vote against Brazil's public security policy, or the lack of one. It is a vote in favour of private and individual security in the vacuum left by the state. It is time for the state to implement an effective public security reform package, as was promised by this government, which is based on social inclusion and human rights protection". Tim Cahill from Amnesty International.

The Brazilian referendum was the first time any country has put its national gun laws to a popular vote. Brazil has the highest number of gun deaths in the world, around 38,000 a year – or more than 100 every day. This is a higher rate than in many conflict zones. It is also the second largest producer of guns in the hemisphere.

Find out more in our Focus on Brazil

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