Brazilian electoral authorities banned the transportation of arms and ammunition on election day, Sunday, Oct. 2, to avoid armed confrontations from political violence.
In a statement, the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) informed that the plenary approved a resolution that “prohibits the transport of weapons and ammunition, throughout the national territory, by collectors, shooters and hunters on election day, 24 hours and 24 hours after”.
According to the court that organizes the elections, the objective is “to protect the exercise of voting from any threats, concrete or potential, as well as to prevent conflicts derived from political violence”, which has already claimed several fatalities in the last weeks.
Before this new determination, the TSE had already established that on election day, in a perimeter of 100 meters around the polling places, the carrying of weapons would not be allowed.
Subsequently, in a meeting with police authorities, it was recommended to prohibit the operation of shooting clubs on election day to avoid the circulation of firearms as a preventive measure.