Seventy-Three Percent of Brazilians Oppose Liberalization of Right to Carry Weapons

By Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A survey by the Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics (IBOPE) done in March, after the first decree of President Jair Bolsonaro to liberalize the possession of weapons, says that 73 percent of those interviewed are against the liberalization of the rules about carrying weapons by ordinary citizens, and 26 percent are in favor.

One percent did not know or did not respond. The right to carry is the authorization to bear arms outside one’s home.

The interviewees were also questioned about the possession of weapons: 61 percent are against making it easier to have weapons in the home, while 37 percent are in favor, and two percent did not know or did not respond.

The IBOPE survey was conducted between March 16th and 19th, before two Decrees were published by the Bolsonaro administration focusing on the carrying of weapons. A total of 2,002 people were interviewed in 143 municipalities. The margin of error is two percent.