Brazil: faced with the risk of "political violence", a judge limits access to weapons

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge on Monday (September 5th) temporarily limited access to weapons given by far-right President Jair Bolsonaro due to the

during the election campaign.

, which

the need to restrict access to weapons and ammunition, writes magistrate Edson Fachin.

This decision was taken

, he indicates, without specifying however whether he is referring to local events such as the murder in July of a militant of the Party of workers (PT) by a pro-Bolsonaro policeman, or Thursday's attack on Argentinian Vice-President Cristina Kirchner in Buenos Aires, by an individual who has Brazilian nationality.

According to the court, Judge Fachin's decision establishes that only

(weapons)

can possess them.

It also determines that

for reasons of

, as is the case for sport shooters, hunters and collectors.

The fear of an American scenario

With the approach of the October 2 election, which will oppose the outgoing president to the former head of state Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), the constant questioning of the electronic voting system by Jair Bolsonaro makes fear a refusal by his supporters of a possible defeat or a reproduction of scenes like the invasion of the American Capitol on January 6, 2021. Since coming to power, Jair Bolsonaro, former captain of the army, has issued several decrees to soften access to firearms, in particular to own more weapons and buy more ammunition.

Some of these decrees are being analyzed by the Supreme Court, which must decide whether they are constitutional or not.

The Brazilian Superior Electoral Court (TSE) announced last Tuesday the ban on the carrying of weapons in polling stations for the presidential election of October 2.