Brazil Implements Stricter Gun Control Measures to Counter Bolsonaro's Policies

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a decree tightening access to firearms, reversing the trend of increasing gun ownership under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. The new regulations limit civilians to owning two firearms, require documentation justifying the need for a weapon, and reduce the amount of ammunition allowed per gun. Despite the rise in gun ownership during Bolsonaro's tenure, Brazil's homicide rate has reached its lowest point in a decade. Experts attribute the decline to various factors, including public security policies, social programs, a fragile truce among criminal gangs, and the country's aging population. The Igarape Institute, a public security research group, praised the new rules as a step towards responsible gun control.