The recent gun control decree issued by the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has stirred up debates and contention within the government itself.
Key disagreements stem from the decision to restrict 9mm pistols to security forces, a measure supported by Justice Minister Flavio Dino and contested by Defense Minister José Múcio Monteiro.
Following Dino’s triumph in the debate, the 9mm weapon became exclusive to security forces post the decree’s publication.
Subsequent statements from the President himself have added further confusion.
During a recent live stream, Lula expressed an intention to shut down all shooting clubs across the country, making an exception only for police and military-related clubs.
This statement clashed with Dino’s previous declaration to regulate rather than close shooting clubs.
Dino argued that unregulated growth of these clubs often led to illegal activities such as weapon smuggling.
Meanwhile, the ruling party, the PT, under the leadership of Gleisi Hoffmann, has proposed a bill to ban shooting clubs and hunting, shooting, and collecting registries (CACs).
On the other hand, the Parliamentary Front for Public Security’s president, Alberto Fraga, presented a bill to exclude the restriction on 9mm pistols to security forces only.
This ongoing discord showcases the complex dynamics surrounding the gun control measures within the administration.