WIN: Murder Rates Drops as Brazil Passes Pro-Gun Reforms

The Brazilian murder rate fell by 25 percent in the first two months of President Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency.

The Rio Times reports:

The murder rates in Brazil for January and February this year were 25 percent lower compared to the same period last year, according to G1’s national homicide index. The index is based on official data from the 26 states and the Federal District.

Bolsonaro’s election in 2018 brought gun rights at the forefront of Brazilian politics given the country’s rampant crime problem.

The newly-elected President of Brazil made it a point to reform Brazil’s draconian gun laws by giving law-abiding Brazilians the ability to defend themselves.

On January 15, 2019, Bolsonaro issued a decree allowing law-abiding citizens to keep guns at home, while also relaxing gun license standards.

This first decree was followed up by another decree on May 7, 2019 which allows Brazilians to acquire firearms and ammo coming from abroad with less bureaucratic hurdles.

Despite hand-wringing from the media about Brazil’s first pro-gun measure potentially causing increases in crime, all hell has not broken loose so far.

This trend should stay the same once Brazil’s second pro-gun decree is studied thoroughly after a few months.

Brazil still has a long road ahead in terms of getting its gun laws on par with the United States, which is still the country with the most gun-friendly environment on the planet.

Nevertheless, Brazil joins Italy in being the select few countries who have embraced pro-gun reforms in 2019.