President Jair Bolsonaro’s easing of gun control laws has made most Brazilians feel less safe in their historically dangerous nation, a poll found.
(Bloomberg) — President Jair Bolsonaro’s easing of gun control laws has made most Brazilians feel less safe in their historically dangerous nation, a poll found.
Nearly seven out of 10 respondents said they fear being around armed people, in a survey by Quaest released Wednesday. Increased access to firearms raised risks for young people, according to 69% of those polled, while fewer than a third said they would buy a gun if they could.
The number of firearms in circulation has increased since the pro-gun president took office in 2019, arguing that more guns in the hands of “good guys” cuts crime. A former army captain, Bolsonaro is up for re-election October and is trailing his rival, former President Luiz Inacio da Silva, in all major polls.
Well over half of evangelicals, a core part of the incumbent’s base, said they were afraid to be around someone carrying gun. Nearly two-thirds of women expressed the same fear, the poll found.
The number of violent crimes fell to about 41,000 last year, down 20% from the year before Bolsonaro became president, though Brazilians disagree about the causes. The figure also dropped steeply the year before Bolsonaro took office.
Quaest interviewed 2,000 people across Brazil between August 25 and 28. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates gun-safety measures, is backed by Michael Bloomberg, founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP.
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