Bolsonaro Changes Decree and Now Common Citizens Cannot Carry Rifles

In addition to limiting rifles, changes also include new age requirements

Danielle Brandt
Brasília

President Jair Bolsonaro relented this Wednesday (22) to pressure from the judicial and legislative branches and made changes to his decree that relaxed the rules for carrying guns and ammunition in the country.

The new version of the decree prohibits common citizens from carrying riffles like semi-automatic machine guns. Specialists in public security criticized the old version of the order, which allowed ordinary people to bear such arms.

With these changes, the government gained time to fend off resistance from Congress (Foto: Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress, PODER) - Folhapress

The initiative also establishes 14 years as the minimum age, with permission from parents, to carry arms and only to practice sports shooting. The older version authorized minors less than 18 to bear arms, but it did not define a minimum age.

With these changes, the government gained time to fend off resistance from Congress, but there are still significant obstacles to the measure, which is considered exaggerated by parliamentarians. 

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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