“Are we a violent country? Yes. But we’re not going to solve the problem with people with guns. We need tougher laws,” an individual at a shooting club in Sao Paulo told Euronews.
Last month Brazil's newly elected President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree making it easier for citizens to keep a gun at home.
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Bolsonaro was fulfilling a campaign promise but in a country plagued with one of the world’s highest murder rates, the move has been criticized.
A recent survey showed 61% of Brazilians were in favour of banning civilian gun ownership.
“Are we a violent country? Yes. But we’re not going to solve the problem with people with guns. We need tougher laws,” an individual at a shooting club in Sao Paulo told Euronews.
Yet, many welcome the change: “I think legalizing gun possession will help decrease violence, not increase it.
"Criminals will think twice before breaking into your home,” said another Brazilian.
One young couple just signed up for gun training at the Sao Paulo gun club.
“I like it, it’s exciting!” the woman told Euronews.
Brazil holds an infamous record of 63,880 intentional violent deaths a year.
Under the new legislation, people living in states with a homicide rate above 10 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants will be eligible to keep a gun at home.
This would currently apply to the entire Brazilian territory.