RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian importation of revolvers and pistols broke a record last year (2020), according to Ministry of Economy data. In total 105,900 weapons were purchased in 2020, compared to 54,000 the year before, a 94% hike.
The amount spent on trade totaled US$2.3 million, while the year before it was US$21.3 million. The figure comprises purchases by both governments and private citizens.
Austria was Brazil’s main gun supplier, selling 85,800 items. The United States came second with 14,100 pistols and revolvers. With a lower volume of products sold, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Israel are also on the list.
The majority of the handguns (74,500) reached Brazil through Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo.
Since 2018 the number of imported weapons has been growing rapidly. Purchases from other countries began to grow under the government of Jair Bolsonaro. Up to 2018, the import of weapons was banned whenever similar products were manufactured in Brazil.
This restriction was overturned by a decree issued by President Bolsonaro in May 2019, which also relaxed regulations for gun purchases in the country.
These measures had been a pledge of the current President’s election campaign: to expand possession (the right to have a gun at home or at work) and carrying (broader right to carry a gun outside the home).
In December 2020, the Bolsonaro government decided to zero the 20% import tax rate for revolvers and pistols through a resolution passed by the Brazilian Foreign Trade Council (CAMEX). However, Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice Edson Fachin suspended the measure days later.
The Justice argued that the state should reduce the need for firearms, not the opposite.
On January 14th, the Brazilian Confederation of Civil Police Workers (COBRAPOL) became involved in the case, claiming that the government’s measure to zero the import tariff on guns provides countless benefits to members of police forces.
According to the association, this “will significantly increase the productivity of public security agents, as well as positively impacting the quality of services rendered in favor of society, which will certainly benefit from this improvement in the working conditions of government agents.”
The case is still to be heard by the full STF – no date has been set.