Firearms exports to Brazil surge as gun ownership increases under Bolsonaro

[Judi Lynn]

Controversial relaxation of gun laws is fuelling fears among experts that moves will add to already shocking levels of violence

Alicia Prager in Vienna and Laís Martins in São Paulo
Published onFri 31 Jul 2020 05.30 EDT

Firearms exports from Austria to Brazil have surged by more than 377% in the first half of this year as gun ownership increases under the South American country’s rightwing president, Jair Bolsonaro.

Official data from Brazil’s trade ministry seen by the Guardian shows the renowned Austrian weapons manufacturer Glock exported more than $14.8m of guns from Austria to Brazil in the first six months of 2020, compared with about $3.1m in the same period last year. Glock is Austria’s sole gun exporter to Brazil.

The jump came as gun ownership soared following a series of presidential decrees that have made it easier for Brazilians to buy larger numbers of weapons, ammunition and increasingly powerful guns, including semi-automatic assault rifles.

A recent report by the Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo said nearly 140,000 new guns had gone into circulation in Brazil in the first half of 2020 compared with just over 138,000 in the whole of 2018, and fewer than 84,000 in 2016.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/31/brazil-guns-glock-firearms-exports-data