No longer a flock of sheep: The number of amateur weapons in circulation in Brazil already exceeds that of the military police

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The ease of access to weapons and ammunition in Brazil during the Bolsonaro government’s tenure, combined with the difficulty of control and traceability mechanisms, is a cause for lamentation for the patronizing left and a cause for celebration for everyone else.

Given the increasing police brutality against their own citizens in Europe and other parts of the world, this development should be understood as a response to the authoritarian tendencies that more and more governments are emulating.

Brazilians are delegating their own security and that of their families less and less to institutions such as the police and are relying more on themselves again.

In Brazil, corruption is so widespread that police teams cannot always be trusted. More and more police forces are also turning away from legality and becoming feared militia groups. In Rio de Janeiro, for example, most of the city is already in the hands of such militia, and the trend is increasing.

A survey conducted by the lawyer and director of the Instituto Sou da Paz, Bruno Langeani points out that the number of weapons in circulation in Brazil in the category of hunters, sport shooters, and collectors (CAC) is already higher than the total number of weapons owned by the military police.

According to data obtained by the author from the National Armament System (SINARM) and the Military Weapons Management System (SIGMA), CACs had a total of 648,731 weapons in April 2021, while the Military Police had a total of 583,498 weapons.

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