Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Re-evaluate Carrying of Arms in Ecuador - Legislator
7 October 2022
Gaceta (Ecuador)
Defending oneself against crime that plagues the civilian population could become a reality in Ecuador. The carrying and possession of firearms is back on the table for debate in the South American country's legislature, in the midst of a prison crisis and the worst violence rate in the nation.
"Weapons for what?" Fidel Castro once said in one of his first speeches upon taking power in Cuba, disarming the civilian population and ensuring that any attempt at resistance... (GunPolicy.org)
29 September 2022
Instituto Sou da Paz
On Thursday (29/09), the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) decided to ban the transportation of weapons and ammunition throughout the country by CACs (hunters, sport shooters and collectors) during the election. The restriction will be in effect for 24 hours prior to and 24 hours after the vote.
The decision reinforces the Court's commitment to free and secure elections and comes in the wake of a series of recommendations made by civil society organisations and unions... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Armed by Bolsonaro and His Legacies
22 September 2022
Monde (Brazil)
Until 2019 the FAL rifle, produced by Imbel, was only used in the Brazilian Armed Forces, and in a few elite police units. In automatic mode, it is capable of firing bursts with up to 700 shots per minute. It also launches projectiles at 840 metres per second, and can hit a target with great effectiveness from up to 600 metres away. Because of its power to pierce armour, it has always been coveted by organised crime and bank robbery gangs. Before the Bolsonaro... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolsonaro's Gun Laws Arm Brazil's Brazen Bank Thieves
22 September 2022
Reuters
In August last year, Brazilian farmer Reinaldo Huijsmans reported a break-in at his house in the town of Maracaju, where thieves stole six legally registered weapons, including a T4 Taurus assault rifle.
Huijsmans, 39, is one of hundreds of thousands of Brazilians now registered to own guns, a group whose ranks have surged six-fold since far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 and began loosening gun laws.
Two months later, Huijsmans' T4 turned up 1,300... (GunPolicy.org)
Booming Gun Ownership Triggers Fears for Brazil Vote
12 September 2022
France24
Clutching his bulky black rifle at a firing range in the Rio de Janeiro suburbs, a handgun strapped to his thigh, Freitas proudly repeats one of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's maxims: "An armed populace will never be enslaved."
Freitas is part of a demographic that has boomed in Bolsonaro's Brazil: since the former army captain became president in 2019, the number of registered gun owners has more than quintupled, from 117,000 to 673,000, as the administration... (GunPolicy.org)
Court Suspends Bolsonaro's Gun Law Over Risk of Political Violence
6 September 2022
Plataforma
"O início da campanha eleitoral exaspera o risco de violência política", o que "torna de extrema e excecional urgência a necessidade" de se restringir o acesso às armas e munições", escreveu Fachin.
O juiz disse ter tomado a decisão "à luz dos recentes e lamentáveis episódios de violência política", sem especificar se se referia a eventos nacionais como o assassinato a tiros de um tesoureiro do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) por um agente bolsonarista ou... (GunPolicy.org)
Five Killed in Gun Attack and Explosion in Port City in Ecuador
14 August 2022
Independent (Ireland)
Gunfire and a subsequent explosion has left at least five people dead, 15 injured and several others missing, as well as damaging homes, in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil.
Ecuador's Prosecutor's Office said its agents were gathering evidence to establish the cause and motive for the attack in the Cristo del Consuelo neighbourhood.
Interior minister Patricio Carrillo tweeted that organised crime in Ecuador is now attacking with explosives.
Sunday's violence "is... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Becoming Arms Trafficking Hub Between Argentina and Brazil
12 August 2022
InSight Crime
Uruguay has been making regular seizures of weapons smuggled in from Argentina, indicating that the country is becoming a preferred transit hub for arms traffickers.
In the latest case, ten people were convicted of arms and ammunition trafficking in early August, according to Uruguay's Interior Ministry.
Beginning last November, Uruguayan authorities uncovered a network smuggling weapons into the country's Soriano and Río Negro departments.
In late July, security... (GunPolicy.org)
Women Living in Terror Because Their Ex-partners Have Guns
16 July 2022
Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP)
During 2021 there were 251 femicides across the country and in 25 per cent of these a weapon was used; there is consensus that possession is often a projection of the power of the person who has it and a latent threat; the speed of justice and voluntary disarmament are key to addressing the problem. In the opinion of Aldana Romano, Director of INECIP.
When mutual friends introduced them to each other during a holiday, Marcela fell in love with Valentín. Although she... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP)
55% Of Firearms Entering Peru Come From The Illegal Market
12 July 2022
Peruano (Peru)
[Sucamec] plans to destroy more than 3,000 seized firearms.
In 55% of cases the firearms entering Peru come from the illegal market or are smuggled for use in criminal acts, warned Wilmer Delgado, a specialist from the Department of Arms, Ammunition and Related Articles of the National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civilian Use (Sucamec).
Speaking to Andina al Día, the specialist assured that Sucamec... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms in Uruguay: Lack of Information and Controls
12 July 2022
La Diaria Opinion (Uruguay)
Firearms: lack of information and controls
In recent weeks, some media outlets, parts of the political system and academia have addressed the issue of firearms control through a bill proposed by Frente Amplio senator Mario Bergara. The fact that a serious debate is beginning to take place on this issue is, in itself, good news.
According to official information from the Material and Arms Service of the Ministry of National Defence, the body in charge of the National... (GunPolicy.org)
Voluntary Surrender of Firearms in Argentina
1 July 2022
Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (ANMaC)
In the session of 30 June 2022, the Senate of the Nation granted the bill that provides for the extension of the deadline for the implementation of the National Programme for the Voluntary Surrender of Firearms (Voluntary Disarmament).
The Senate of the Nation unanimously approved the Bill presented by the National Executive, which provides for a new implementation period for the National Programme for the Voluntary Surrender of Firearms until 31 December 2023.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (ANMaC)
Gun Ownership Has Risen Under Bolsonaro
28 June 2022
Buenos Aires Times
The number of registered gun owners in Brazil rose by almost six times since President Jair Bolsonaro came to power and eased restrictions, an NGO said on Tuesday.
In 2018, when Bolsonaro began his mandate, there were 117,467 gun owners registered as hunters, sport shooters and collectors, according to Army figures collected by the Brazilian Forum of Public Security (FBSP) NGO. In June 2022 that figure had jumped to 673,818.
"There was a very big increase in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Possession in Uruguay
13 June 2022
El Pays (Uruguay)
The current senator and former economy minister of the Frente Amplio, Mario Bergara, has come up with a proposal to make firearms possession more regulated and demanding than it is at present.
Government sources consulted by El País said in general terms that they wanted to study the main points of Bergara's proposal more closely, but hinted that it would be difficult for the ruling party to accept the opposition senator's idea.
Bergara based his proposal on several... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,El Salvador,Venezuela,Guatemala,Colombia,Honduras,Brazil
On Gun Violence, the United States is an Outlier
31 May 2022
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
Among 64 high-income countries and territories, the United States stands out for its high levels of gun violence. The US ranks eighth out of 64 for homicides by firearm (age-adjusted). Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, two US territories, rank first and third on that list. Firearm injuries tend to be more frequent in places where people have easy access to firearms, according to findings from the 2018 Global Burden of Disease study published in the Journal of... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Guns Registered in Uruguay
2 April 2022
El Observador (Uruguay)
In 2021 there was a record number of guns registered in Uruguay; three times as many were regularised as in 2019.
Across the country there are 606,704 registrations; 37% are revolvers; long guns are preferred in the coastal region.
In August 2014, a law of José Mujica's government sought to regulate the possession, carrying, commercialisation and trafficking of arms and ammunition. It was only implemented two years later, in December 2016, when the corresponding... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Million Firearms in Civilian Hands in Argentina
28 February 2022
Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP)
There are more than 1.5 million registered weapons on the street in the possession of civil society in Argentina. Although by law the state is committed to reducing this number, the state itself "does not even do what the law requires, and it does so not only by omission but also by political decision," said Julián Alfie, coordinator of the Institute for Comparative Studies in Criminal and Social Sciences (Inecip) and researcher on the issue of civil society... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP)
Jamaica,Venezuela,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,Colombia,Belize,Mexico,Brazil,El Salvador,Guatemala,Guyana,Ecuador,Haiti,Panama,Costa Rica,Dominican Republic,Uruguay,Paraguay,Nicaragua,Peru,Chile,Argentina,Bolivia
InSight Crime's 2021 Homicide Round-Up
1 February 2022
InSight Crime
In 2021, most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a marked increase in murders. Resurgent violence was to be expected after some of the world's longest COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted.
Much of the population found themselves sinking deeper into poverty. With schools late to reopen, teenagers returned to the streets with little to do, making them prime targets for recruitment.
The pandemic also made law enforcement more difficult. Police were... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay: 40% Increase in Requests for Arms Regularisation
20 December 2021
El Pays (Uruguay)
Project proposes extending the deadline to regularise the possession, carrying and marketing of all weapons in Uruguay.
The law dates from 2014, but the administrative task it entrusted to the authorities and society has not yet been completed, and the political system is proposing to extend, once again, the deadline for regularising the possession, carrying and marketing of all weapons in Uruguay, for which originally a year's time had been granted.
Since then, the... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Falkland Islands,Mexico
How US Gun Culture Stacks Up With the World
26 November 2021
CNN
Ubiquitous gun violence in the United States has left few places unscathed over the decades. Still, many Americans hold their right to bear arms, enshrined in the US Constitution, as sacrosanct. But critics of the Second Amendment say that right threatens another: The right to life.
America's relationship to gun ownership is unique, and its gun culture is a global outlier.
As the tally of gun-related deaths continue to grow daily, here's a look at how gun culture in... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootout at Ecuador Prison Leaves at Least 68 Dead
13 November 2021
Los Angeles Times
A prolonged gun battle between rival gangs inside Ecuador's largest prison left at least 68 inmates dead and 25 wounded Saturday, while authorities said it took most of the day to regain control at the Litoral penitentiary, which just weeks ago saw the country's worst prison bloodbath.
The killing erupted before dawn at the prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil in what officials said was the latest outbreak of fighting among prison gangs linked to international drug... (GunPolicy.org)
Chile Destroys More Than 13,000 Firearms
12 November 2021
Euronews
Pistolas, escopetas, revólveres y fusiles. Chile se deshace de más de 13.000 armas de fuego incautadas en operativos o entregadas voluntariamente por ciudadanos. Una iniciativa del Gobierno, que se realiza cada año y que forma parte de la campaña "Entrega tu arma". El objetivo: evitar que las armas personales caigan en manos de criminales y limitar los riesgos asociados a la posesión de armas en el hogar.
270.000 armas destruidas desde 1990
A través de un... (GunPolicy.org)
Buenos Aires Hands Over 11,400 Seized Guns for Destruction
11 November 2021
Government of Argentina
Con la presencia de Soria y Alak, la provincia de Buenos Aires comenzó la entrega a la ANMaC de 11.400 armas secuestradas en procesos penales para iniciar su destrucción
Los ministros de Justicia de la Nación y de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, participaron del acto institucional que dio inicio a la entrega de armas de fuego del Servicio Penitenciario Bonaerense a la Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (ANMaC). Las armas fueron decomisadas de circuitos... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Destroys 1,484 Pistols, Thousands More Guns to Go
13 October 2021
Government of Argentina
En el marco del aniversario de la sanción de la ley 27.192 que creó la Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (ANMaC), Martín Soria realizó una recorrida por el Banco Nacional de Materiales (BANMaC), en el que se destruyeron 1484 armas. Acompañado por la directora ejecutiva de la Agencia, Natasa Loizou, el Ministro subrayó la "decisión política de tener un Estado proactivo que trabaja para sacar las armas de las calles".
"Tenemos un Estado presente y... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador: The New Corridor for South American Arms Trafficking
4 October 2021
InSight Crime
As Ecuador reels from its worst prison massacre, military intelligence has recently revealed a flow of arms from Chile and Peru into Ecuador along its southern border, highlighting the country's key role in emerging arms trafficking routes.
A recent string of drug seizures, driven in part by increased enforcement, confirms police suspicions that Ecuador is a focal point for arms trafficking in South America. Police discovered ten heavy-caliber rifles during an August... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina,Brazil,Chile,Colombia,Mexico
Gun Laws in Latin America's Largest Economies
26 August 2021
Council of the Americas (COA)
Countries may adopt stringent gun control laws, but their efforts are complicated by international arms smuggling. We explore policies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.
For government across Latin America, reducing violence and providing security are top agenda items. AS/COA Online looks at gun-related legislation in Latin America's largest economies, identifying regulations for arms licensing. In Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Documents Surge In Registered Firearms
7 April 2021
Economist
"I always had the American dream," says Bernardo Mattos, sitting outside his shooting club in Rio de Janeiro. "Thank God, I fulfilled that dream." Since he launched his club in 2018 membership has risen steadily—particularly so during the past year of pandemic. Now around 350 people come through his doors to rattle off rounds. Mr Mattos, who says he was trained by the United States armed forces, broadcasts his views to even more. He has nearly 90,000 followers on... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun licencing on the rise in Colombia
18 March 2021
Tiempo (Colombia)
Why have applications to carry and possess weapons tripled?
In 2021, 3,577 permits have been requested, of which 826 were approved.
The introduction in Congress of a bill aimed at easing restrictions on the carrying of weapons, in force in the country since December 2015, reignited controversy.
Although the government responded that its policy aims to maintain restrictions and even move towards disarming more citizens, some sectors insist on the need to allow... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia Firearm Imports 2011-2020
2 March 2021
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
Importacion de armas no letales supera ampliamente a las de guerra
Ano: armas de guerra - armas de aire - armas de fogueo - total
2020: 1,146 - 15,130 - 175,576 - 191,852
2019: 1,295 - 123,561 - 69,546 - 194,402
2018: 954 - 23,678 - 41,229 - 65,861
2017: 2,480 - 24,910 - 35,262 - 62,652
2016: 1,834 - 30,747 - 29,684 - 62,265
2015: 538 - 46,368 - 19,526 - 48,432
2014: 2,956 - 46,105 - 19,050 - 68,111
2013: 49,829 - 28,628 - 9,784 - 88,241
2012: 14,876 - 665,932 - 274 -... (GunPolicy.org)
Changes in Gun Policy Boost Number of Guns Owners in Brazil
12 February 2021
VICE
President Bolsonaro is encouraging weapons imports and shooting clubs, but discouraging the tracking of firearms in what observers say could be stoking violent crime.
Gun purchases in Brazil nearly doubled last year, yet controls on the purchase and use of weapons is weak and violent homicides are rising.
In 2020, nearly 180,000 new guns were registered in Brazil, the highest number on record and a 91% increase on the previous year.
In the first two years of his... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Venezuela,Haiti,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,Mexico,Belize,Colombia,El Salvador,Brazil,Puerto Rico,Guatemala,Pakistan,Panama,Costa Rica,Nicaragua,Uruguay,Dominican Republic,Peru,Ecuador,Paraguay,Argentina,Chile,Bolivia
InSight Crime's 2020 Homicide Round-Up
29 January 2021
InSight Crime
While unrest gripped much of Latin America in 2019, it was the coronavirus that took center stage and ripped through the region in 2020, upending everything from commercial trade to the operations of local gangs and transnational criminal organizations.
It's too early to tell with any degree of certainty how exactly the pandemic may have impacted levels of violence, but there were notable developments, including significant reductions in El Salvador, Guatemala,... (GunPolicy.org)
The Firearms Market in Paraguay
6 July 2020
Indepiendente (Paraguay)
Any person legally residing in Paraguay who does not have a judicial record can purchase a firearm. According to José Maria Amarilla, a specialist in intelligence, people can go to an armoury, pay a part of the cost, and the armoury is in charge of processing the permits so that the client can later pick up the merchandise.
"This process takes between three days and a week to collect the weapon registered with the Directorate of War Materiel with a blue card that... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ownership Soars In Brazil Under Bolsonaro
31 March 2020
New York Times
A year into his presidency, Jair Bolsonaro and his sons have helped fuel a gun rights movement that had little popular support, or political clout, in the country before he took office.
President Jair Bolsonaro has galvanized gun culture in Brazil.
His trademark campaign sign was a hand folded into the shape of a gun. One of his first moves in office was to ease gun ownership rules. His three oldest sons, politicians themselves, have been fierce proponents of... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,El Salvador,Belize,Mexico,Colombia,Guatemala,Puerto Rico,Brazil,Panama,Costa Rica,Uruguay,Dominican Republic,Peru,Nicaragua,Ecuador,Argentina,Chile,Bolivia,Paraguay
InSight Crime's 2019 Homicide Round-Up
28 January 2020
InSight Crime
Unrest gripped much of Latin America and the Caribbean throughout 2019. From record violence in Mexico that recalled the darkest days of the drug war, to increased fighting among armed groups in Colombia vying for control in the absence of the FARC and a rise in massacres in Honduras, the region was again one of the world's most homicidal last year.
In its annual Homicide Round-Up, InSight Crime looks into the country-by-country murder rates and the factors... (GunPolicy.org)
Twice as Many Weapons in the Hands of Civilians as are Registered
22 June 2019
Perfil, Web page
After the Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, declared at the end of last year that "whoever wants to be armed should be armed", it is estimated that in Argentina there are more than 3 million firearms in circulation in the hands of civilians and, of that total, half are not registered. The alarming figure arises from a report to which the Educational Profile Research Team had access, which was prepared by the Institute of Comparative Studies in Criminal and... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Yemen,China,Israel,Russia,Brazil,United Kingdom,Germany,India,Canada,Austria,Australia,Mexico,United States,Japan,South Africa
How to Buy a Gun in 15 Countries
2 March 2018
New York Times
Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. The process takes months in some countries. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 15 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.
United States
1) Pass an instant background check that considers criminal convictions, domestic violence and immigration status.
2) Buy a gun. Many states have additional buying restrictions, including waiting periods and... (GunPolicy.org)
A look at Weapons in Argentina
23 November 2017
Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP), Web page
The Chamber of Deputies of the Nation today approved the law that establishes the extension of the Voluntary Weapons Surrender Program until December 31, 2019 . The initiative allows the anonymous delivery of weapons in exchange for a sum of money (around $1,000) and aims to disarm society.
But, what is the situation of weapons today in Argentina?
In our country, the National Law on Weapons and Explosives has been in force since 1973 . There, the different categories... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales y Sociales (INECIP)
Social Media Used for Gun Sales, Trafficking in Venezuela [ES]
18 November 2016
Entorno Inteligente
[Translated summary: Venezuelans now use social media like Whatsapp, BBM, Snapchat and Instagram to illegally buy and sell guns. A Beretta 92FS pistol can be purchased for 2.7 million Venezuelan bolivars (270,000 USD). Official data from 2012 calculates that the country has between 1.2 and 1.5 million unregistered guns. Until March, 2016, only 48,000 firearms had been destroyed.]
Los índices de violencia y criminalidad siguen en un preocupante ascenso. Para completar... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia Registers 11,000 Guns, Extends Program Deadline [ES]
18 November 2016
Correo del Sur (Bolivia)
[Translated summary: The Bolivian government has expanded the deadline of its firearm registration program for 180 days. In the last period, 10,982 firearms were registered.]
El Gobierno amplió, por segunda vez, el plazo para el registro de armas de fuego, informó ayer el ministro de Gobierno, Carlos Romero. Los que no alcanzaron a registrar su arma de fuego, tienen otros 180 días.
"El Decreto Supremo 2977 es el que reglamenta el plazo para este registro. Este... (GunPolicy.org)
Stiffer Sentences for Illegal Gun Possession in Argentina [ES]
16 November 2016
La Nación (Argentina), Agencia DyN
[Translated Summary: Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that sets more severe sentences for gun carrying and possession. For illegal possession, sentences can go from six months to eight years if the firearm has been modified from its original condition. And for illegal carrying, sentences can be from four to eight years, depending on the case.]
Cámara de Diputados aprobó hoy y giró al Senado un proyecto impulsado por el Frente Renovador y apoyado por... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Deaths in Uruguay Spark Ammunition Calibre Debate [ES]
14 November 2016
Espectador (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: Uruguay has registered 604,678 firearms since 1944 and is considered one of the most armed countries in the world. Recent deaths and injures caused by shots in the air generated a debate about which ammunition the police should use. The Interior Ministry advocates for the use of bullets with greater destructive power and less rebound, while the Ministry of Defence thinks it's better to use "full metal jacket" ammunition.]
Un joven murió por una... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,United States,South America
Firearm Trafficking Soaring in Honduras - Customs [ES]
11 November 2016
La Tribuna (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Every month, Honduran customs seize an average of 35 to 40 firearms of US and South America origin. Among the seized arms are pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles and ammunition. Police say the increase in crime is the reason Hondurans want to arm themselves, and trafficked guns cost one fifth of legal guns.]
Un promedio de 35 a 40 armas de fuego o municiones provenientes de Estados Unidos y de Suramérica decomisan al mes funcionarios de Aduanas de... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,United States,Mexico
A Third of the World's Gun Deaths Are In Latin America [ES]
11 November 2016
La Jornada (Mexico)
[Translated summary: International reports show that with 8% of the global population, Latin America has 33% of the world's firearm homicides. Violent deaths in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil represent 20% of the total, Brazil having the highest numbers. The US has 70 times more homicides and 35 times more suicides than the UK.]
Ciudad de México. En el foro "El Control de Armas y su Gestión de la Violencia y la Delincuencia, una Mirada desde Brasil y México", la... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Used in 40% of Homicides in Ecuador [ES]
9 November 2016
Ecuavisa (Ecuador)
[Translated summary: According to official data, over 40% (376) of the total homicides in Ecuador during 2016 were committed with firearms. The most common guns criminals use are homemade; Police explain that they are easy to acquire and low cost.]
El uso de armas de fuego es la principal causa de los homicidios cometidos en Ecuador. Según cifras de la Dirección Nacional de Delitos contra la Vida y Muertes Violentas (Dinased), durante este año en el territorio... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns: 1.1 Million Legal, Illegal Firearms in Uruguay [ES]
4 November 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The Legal and Social Studies Institute of Uruguay explains that in 2007, Uruguay issued 5 or 6 licences for firearms everyday. In 2012, that daily average increased to 15. The Institute calculates that there 1.1 million firearms in the country, legal and illegal.]
El instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (Ielsur) se mostró preocupado por el "alto incremento" en los últimos años de la emisión de permisos para portar armas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana President Aims to Curb Both Legal and Illegal Guns
3 November 2016
Demerara Waves (Guyana)
President David Granger on Wednesday said he wants the number of illegal and legal guns to be drastically reduced, leaving firearms mainly in the hands of police and soldiers.
"The Minister of Public Security and I are reducing the frequency or the ease or controlling the ease with which some people can get weapons," he said on this week's edition of the television programme, "Public Interest."
The President said a corps of wardens, with law enforcement powers, would... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Deliver 25,487 Guns to Army for Destruction [ES]
1 November 2016
Entorno Inteligente (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Ecuador's National Police delivered 25,487 firearms that were seized during police operations to the Armed Forces for destruction. Among them there are pistols, revolvers and military equipment. Authorities claimed that there were only 53 violent deaths in October 2016, while the same month in 2015 had 90.]
Durante este año, la Policía Nacional ha entregado a las Fuerzas Armadas (FF.AA.) un total de 25 487 armas de fuego incautadas durante... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay Stores Thousands of Smuggled, Seized Guns [ES]
1 November 2016
La Nación (Paraguay)
[Translated summary: In the warehouse of Paraguay's War Material Direction (Dimabel) there are 10,000 seized firearms. Around 50% are revolvers and pistols and the rest are shotguns and machine guns that can pierce armored vehicles. Authorities explain that illicit firearms come from the US disassembled, are re-assembled in the country and then sold at the border.]
Una ametralladora capaz de perforar camiones blindados, así como escopetas y pistolas, son algunos de... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1.5 Million Legal, 4 Million Illicit Guns in Argentina [ES]
31 October 2016
Noticias y Protagonistas (Argentina)
[Translated summary: There are 1,541,497 registered firearms and 979,508 licensed gun owners in Argentina. The country has four gun factories that manufactured 74,983 firearms between January and August 2016. 13,940 firearms were imported and 45,836 exported in the same period. It is estimated that there are between 1.5 million and 4 million illicit firearms. Between 1997 and 2013 there were 38,002 gun homicides and 13,672 suicides. In 2013, 71.1% of homicides were... (GunPolicy.org)
1,868 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela [ES]
31 October 2016
El Nacional (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: Venezuela's Public Ministry supervised the destruction of 1,868 firearms in Caracas. The cache of firearms had been seized in 11 states nationwide by the police since July this year.]
El Ministerio Público, a través de la Fiscalía Superior del Área Metropolitana de Caracas (AMC), supervisó este lunes 31 de octubre el acto de destrucción de 1.868 armas de fuego, las cuales fueron incautadas en 11 estados del país en el segundo semestre del... (GunPolicy.org)
In Argentina, Seven in 10 Families Have a Firearm at Home [ES]
27 October 2016
El Patagonico (Argentina)
[Translated Summary: An Argentine has NGO revealed that eight people are murdered with firearms every day in Argentina. Statistics count more than 1,298,000 registered firearms, and estimates suggest at least 1,300,000 unregistered or illegal firearms in Argentinian households, raising the risk of gun death.]
El caso del nene de 13 años que mató a un ladrón con el arma que tenía su papá en su casa, cuando un grupo de delincuentes ingresó a la vivienda, reavivió... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Extends National Gun Amnesty for Another Year [ES]
24 October 2016
Hoy (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Argentina's government extended the deadline for the national disarmament program until the end of 2017. In the country there are 1,200,000 registered firearms, but it's estimated that there are 3 million more undeclared and in the hands of criminals. According to official data, since 2007 the program received 175,000 handguns and shotguns that were disabled and destroyed.]
El Gobierno promulgó la ley sancionada en el Congreso que extiende la... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil's Merchants of Death: Unchecked Gun Exports Kill - NYT
23 October 2016
New York Times, Opinion
RIO DE JANEIRO — As Brazil weathers the worst political and economic crises in living memory, Brazilians can hardly be blamed for being distracted. But there is a subject that the country's politicians — and citizens — are not discussing, even though it risks tarnishing Brazil's international reputation as an advocate of peacebuilding and diplomacy: an unchecked arms industry and its involvement in foreign conflicts around the globe.
The fingerprints of Brazil's... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyanese Concerned About Gun Crimes Despite 21% Decline
21 October 2016
Demerara Waves (Guyana)
Former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips Friday said although the official police statistics show a decline in serious crimes, the feeling of insecurity among Guyanese is very high makes it necessary for collaboration among several stakeholders.
"Notwithstanding the statistics that speak to a reduction in crime -- and here I am not hitting at the police force -- it is my firm belief, as a citizen of Guyana, that the high... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Afghanistan,Russia,Central Asia,Pakistan,China,Turkey,Brazil
UN Rule of Thumb Suggests 600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia
21 October 2016
Age (Melbourne)
As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty.
Chris Dawson,... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentine Disarmament Group Deplores Lack of Gun Control [ES]
13 October 2016
Sputnik News (Russia)
[Translated summary: The Argentine Network for Disarmament denounced the government for its indifference to gun control, despite eight people dying each due to of armed violence. Last year, a bill to establish a new gun control agency was passed, but hasn't yet been implemented.]
BUENOS AIRES — Argentina tiene un "flagrante" retroceso en lo que respecta al control de armas de fuego y a las políticas de prevención de los riesgos derivados de su uso, denunció la Red... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru to Tighten Penalties for Illegal Firearm Possession [ES]
8 October 2016
Terra (Peru)
[Translated summary: Peru's Interior Minister announced that he is working on a new law that seeks to punish with a prison sentence of no less than 5 years to anyone who carries a firearm without authorisation. He also said that Peru has a great problem with illegal firearms and with firearms that are rented secretely by police officers.]
El ministro del Interior, Carlos Basombrío , anunció que el sector a su cargo está trabajando en una normativa que busca castigar... (GunPolicy.org)
Chile: 14,000 Fireams Destroyed, Gun Crime Down [ES]
6 October 2016
20 Minutos (USA)
[Translated summary: In recent times 14,000 seized or voluntarily surrendered firearms have been destroyed in Chile. This year, police received a total of 5,264 firearms in an amnesty campaign. Crimes with firearms have reduced 9.3% in relation to 2015.]
Un gigantesco horno que ardía a miles de grados centígrados fundió el jueves 14.000 armas decomisadas por las policías o entregadas voluntariamente por sus dueños, en la destrucción masiva de armamento más... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Reviews Exports After Gun Maker Skirts Arms Embargo
29 September 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Brazil is reviewing its procedures for controlling arms exports, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said on Thursday, when asked about an investigation into a sale of guns by Forjas Taurus SA that allegedly violated U.N. sanctions.
"We are updating the regulations in this area, seeking objectivity and transparency. They need updating," the minister said. Jungmann said the review was part of a "periodic" update of arms export regulations.
Taurus, the largest weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Since 2003, Venezuela Has Destroyed Over 423,000 Guns [ES]
28 September 2016
Sputnik Mundo (Russia)
[Translated Summary: Over the last 13 years, Venezuela's Government has destroyed 423,000 firearms collected via national security programs. In the last operation, 1,308 firearms were disabled in the context of the "A Toda Vida" social program which aims to reduce the high crime rates in the country.]
CARACAS — El Gobierno de Venezuela inutilizó 1.308 armas de fuego en el estado Anzoátegui (norte), como parte del programa social "A Toda Vida", que busca reducir el... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Mulls New Gun Bans, Limits on Gun Ownership [ES]
26 September 2016
El Espectador (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: A regulatory decree proposed for Uruguay would ban civilians from importing and owning automatic rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition for these weapons and silencers. Only three guns per person would be permitted. Civilians who previously bought prohibited firearms, or who own more than three, would have to surrender them for destruction.]
A efectos de continuar conociendo cómo se encuentra regulada en el derecho uruguayo la tenencia de armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Seize, Hold 28,000 Guns for Destruction [ES]
22 September 2016
Infodefensa (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Since 1998, Ecuador's Judicial Police has stored over 28,000 firearms recovered in police operations. Now, they are going to deliver them to the National Army for its destruction, together with 43,000 ammunition and 205 cartridges. This cache was kept stored in different Police's Evidence Collection Points around the country.]
La Policía Judicial de Ecuador almacena desde 1998 más de 28.000 armas de fuego que ahora ha comenzado a entregar... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroys Another 17,014 Seized Private Guns [ES]
22 September 2016
El Impulso (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: 17,014 illegal firearms, which were seized nationwide by the state in the current year, were destroyed in Venezuela. The destruction consisted in the melting on a local city furnace. Since 2003, over 423,000 firearms have been destroyed.]
En el marco del Día Internacional de la Paz, el ministro del Poder Popular para Relaciones Interiores, Justicia y Paz, Néstor Reverol Torres, visitó la ciudad de Barquisimeto para encabezar el proceso de... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina: 806k Gun Owners Hold 1.3m Registered Guns [ES]
22 September 2016
El Intransigente (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The National Agency of Controlled Materials reports that there are 1,295,740 firearms registered in Argentina and 806,539 licensed gun owners. It is estimated that 8 people die by firearm each day. The last disarmament campaign retrieved 174,902 firearms.]
Se estima que ocho personas mueren cada día en Argentina por el uso de armas de fuego
BUENOS AIRES -- En Argentina hay 1.295.740 armas registradas, según informaron desde la Agencia Nacional... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Mexico
Latin America Recent Seizures Reveal Thriving Gun Trade [ES]
22 September 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: A series of recent raids and reports highlights the thriving arms trade in Latin America which continues to disrupt countries and entire regions. For example, a report by Prensa Libre found the 9mm pistol has been the weapon most commonly confiscated by Guatemala's National Police.]
Una serie de redadas e informes recientes ponen de relieve el floreciente negocio de armas en toda Latinoamérica, lo que sirve tanto para beneficio de los grupos... (GunPolicy.org)
Manifesto in Support of the Disarmament Statute of Brazil
21 September 2016
Igarapé Insitute (Brazil), Communique
Brazilian society:
We are researchers from public and private universities and research institutions across Brazil and around the world. Our goal is to highlight the scientific evidence associated with the Disarmament Statute. Studies on the relationships between the Statute and lethal violence are available in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and doctoral theses, a sample of which is listed in the Annex. Among other things, these studies refute the hypothesis... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Province Will Destroy Another 15,000 Guns [ES]
21 September 2016
Diario Panorama (Argentina)
[Translated summary: 15,000 guns are ready to be destroyed in a province of Argentina. These firearms were discarded by police and security forces, seized in crimes, or voluntarily surrendered by civilians in the last disarmament campaing. According to official data, there are 1.5 million firearms registered and 979,500 owners with licences in the country.]
Son las descartadas por las fuerzas de seguridad, las incautadas en delitos y las de usuarios civiles.
Según el... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil 57 Experts Oppose Bill to Weaken Gun Law [PT]
21 September 2016
Sul 21 (Brazil)
[Translated summary: A group of 57 researchers from Brazil and abroad have published a manifesto against the revocation of the Disarmament Statute. The document aims to inform society of the available scientific evidence confirming the effectiveness of the Statute as a tool to save lives. The evidence refutes the idea that more guns mean less violence.]
Um grupo de 57 pesquisadores de instituições públicas e privadas de ensino e pesquisa no Brasil e no exterior... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil 57 Experts Warn Against Bill to Weaken Gun Law [PT]
21 September 2016
O Globo (Brazil), Editorial
[Translated summary: A manifesto against the revocation of the Disarmament Statute was signed by 50 experts with the support of 13 organisations linked to issues associated with the reduction and prevention of violence in Brazil. The bill to repeal the statute would reduce the minimum age for gun purchases from 25 to 21 and relax the eligibility criteria for a gun licence, among others.]
Manifesto contra a revogação da lei, a ser lançado hoje em Brasília, alerta... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Central America,South America
Recent Seizures Point to Thriving Latin American Gun Trade
21 September 2016
InSight Crime (Bogotá)
A series of recent raids and reports highlights the thriving arms trade throughout Latin America, which serves to both profit illicit groups and to facilitate criminal violence in the region.
During a recent conference on armed violence in Central America, Ana Yancy Espinoza, academic director of the Costa Rican organization Fundación Arias, presented the results of an investigation on regional arms trafficking.
According to a press release from the Foundation for... (GunPolicy.org)
20,000 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela So Far This Year [ES]
20 September 2016
Radio Nacional de Venezuela
[Translated summary: In Venezuela, at least 20,000 firearms from around the country have been disabled in the current year. In the next few days the government will destroy the guns by smelting in a steel plant. Almost 3,000 of these firearms were voluntarily surrendered. ]
Al menos 20 mil armas de fuego, provenientes de todos los estados del país, han sido inutilizadas en lo que va del año 2016, como parte del Plan Desarme que impulsa el Gobierno Bolivariano,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in Colombia [ES]
20 September 2016
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: 40 people accused of gun trafficking were captured in Colombia. During the operation, 5 machine guns, 30 rifles, more than 50,000 cartridges, grenades, over 50 handguns and 2 sniper rifles were seized.]
Luego de un operativo conjunto entre el Ejército y la Policía fueron capturadas 40 personas, en varias ciudades del país, a las que se les sindica de traficar armas con el Eln y bandas criminales. Los presuntos delincuentes incluso tenían una... (GunPolicy.org)
406,534 Guns Surrendered, Seized in Venezuela Since 2003 [ES]
16 September 2016
Aporrea (Venezuela), SENADES
[Translated Summary: According to the General Director of Venezuela's Disarm Service, since 2014, 3,674 firearms and 31,305 ammunition have been surrendered voluntarily by civilians. As well, 52,053 firearms have been seized and will be destroyed. In total, since 2003, 406,534 firearms have been taken off the streets.]
La directora general del Servicio Nacional para el Desarme (Senades), Delia Rondón, anunció que del 2014 a la fecha se han recibido 3 mil 674 armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuelans Trading Guns for Food with Trinidadians - Police
15 September 2016
Caribbean 360
PORT OF SPAIN – Venezuelans and Trinidadians are bartering on the high seas, selling and/or exchanging arms and ammunition for food and basic commodities.
These trades also take place at some of T&T's remote coastal ports, according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Vernly Gift of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB).
He made the comments yesterday at the police weekly briefing where he said there is a need for greater monitoring of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Gun Maker Beretta Will Manufacture in Argentina [ES]
14 September 2016
La Nación (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Italian company Beretta will manufacture two types of guns in Argentina. Police already use these firearms, and the production is for them.]
La empresa italiana Pietro Beretta producirá armas en la Argentina. Así lo afirmó el ministro de Defensa, Julio Martínez , que hoy se reunió en Roma con autoridades de la compañía.
Según detallaron desde el Ministerio en un comunicado, la empresa producirá en el país dos armas bajo su licencia en... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru Toughens Its Live Shooting Test for Gun Licensing [ES]
14 September 2016
Andina (Lima)
[Translated Summary: The Peruvian gun control agency (Sucamec) explained that from now on, citizens will have to pass a more difficult exam in order to get a licence. They will have five cartridges and a maximum of 45 seconds to hit the target three times. This is to ensure that users are qualified.]
La Superintendencia Nacional de Control de Servicios de Seguridad, Armas, Municiones y Explosivos de Uso Civil (Sucamec) decidió optimizar el examen de tiro para la... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,Mexico,South America,United States
USA, Stop Enabling Latin America's Gun Addiction - Letter
11 September 2016
Americas Quarterly, Letter
Dear Mister / Madam President,
As the world's largest arms exporter, the U.S. plays an outsize role in fueling Latin America's insatiable addiction to firearms. To take one example, during most of the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest consumer of U.S. military hardware in the Americas, feeding one of the most vicious civil wars in Latin American history. And while the conflict ended in 1992, the legacy of its arms transfers remains: U.S. officials estimate that almost... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Exchanges Guns for Domestic Appliances [FR]
9 September 2016
Huffington Post (FR)
[Translated summary: The Venezuelan government has launched a gun buyback programme, where citizens can exchange firearms for goods such as TVs, microwave ovens, tablets, washing machines and refrigerators. 561 firearms have been collected and destroyed so far.]
"Échange arme contre électroménager". Au Venezuela, pour combattre la violence par armes à feu le gouvernement offre des fours micro-ondes, des postes de télévision ou des machines à laver à ceux qui... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador to Destroy 35,000 Seized Firearms [ES]
8 September 2016
El Comercio (Peru)
[Translated Summary: In Ecuador, 10,139 firearms and 43,000 rounds of ammunition were delivered by the National Police to the Army to be destroyed. This cache of arms was seized in patrol and prevention operations. Another cache of 15,000 seized firearms will be delivered soon. In total, 35,000 firearms will be destroyed.]
10,139 armas de fuego y 43,000 municiones fueron entregadas por parte de la Policía Nacional al Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas la mañana... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Amnesty Swaps Guns For Domestic Appliances [ES]
8 September 2016
La Patilla (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Venezuela's Government is exchanging firearms for microwaves, televisions, washing machines and other appliances in voluntary disarmament operations introduced this month. Over 1,130 citizens have decided to voluntarily surrender their firearms so far. 18,294 guns have been destroyed this year.]
El gobierno de Venezuela cambia armas de fuego por hornos microondas, televisores, lavadoras y otros electrodomésticos en operativos de desarme voluntario... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 10,000 Firearms Registered In Bolivia in One Year [ES]
8 September 2016
Erbol Digital (Bolivia)
[Translated Summary: Bolivia's National Police registered a total of 10,928 firearms for civilian use from the 1st of September, 2015 to the 4th of September, 2016. Most of this cache, 4,153 (38%), were shotguns and 3,390 (31%) were rifles. 65% were registered for self-defence, 25% for sport and over 20% for hunting.]
La Policía registró un total de 10.928 armas de fuego de uso civil en toda Bolivia, durante el periodo de un año que duró el plazo.
El jefe de... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,United States,India,Nigeria,South Africa,El Salvador
World is Far Less Violent: Global Murders Halving in a Decade
7 September 2016
Foreign Affairs (USA)
The world has never been safer than it is right now. Most forms of violence have dropped precipitously over the past few centuries. Although conflict deaths recently spiked (the war in Syria accounts for one third of all war-related killings today), fewer people are dying from warfare than at virtually any time in human history. Terrorist violence also increased over the past two years—especially in six countries the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia—but it still... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil's Big Gun Maker Charged with Sales to Yemeni Trafficker
6 September 2016
Reuters
Brazilian prosecutors said on Tuesday they had charged Forjas Taurus SA, Latin America's largest gun maker, in May for dealing with a known Yemeni arms trafficker in violation of international sanctions, prompting the company's shares to plunge.
Taurus confirmed on Monday a Reuters report that two former executives had been charged over a deal in 2013 that allegedly sent arms to Yemen's civil war, but the company said it was only a concerned party in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazilian Company Taurus Sold Guns to Yemeni Trafficker [ES]
5 September 2016
Radio Formula (Mexico), Reuters
[Translated summary: Federal prosecutors in Brazil accused two former Forja Taurus executives of sending 8,000 handguns to an active Yemeni arms trafficker in 2013. Forja Taurus is a major gun manufacturer which supplies the Brazilian police and the Army, and is one of the five main gun suppliers to the American market, where it sells three-quarters of its production.]
Fiscales federales en el sur de Brasil acusaron en mayo a dos ex ejecutivos de Forjas Taurus de... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Gun Manufacturer Sold Guns to Trafficker from Yemen
5 September 2016
Reuters
Brazil's Forjas Taurus SA, the largest weapons manufacturer in Latin America, sold guns to a known Yemeni arms trafficker who funneled them into his nation's civil war in violation of international sanctions, according to charges in court documents reviewed by Reuters.
Federal prosecutors in southern Brazil charged two former executives of Forjas Taurus (FJTA4.SA) in May with shipping 8,000 handguns in 2013 to Fares Mohammed Hassan Mana'a, an arms smuggler active... (GunPolicy.org)
Peruvian Military Company to Assemble #Czech Pistols [ES]
1 September 2016
Radio Praga
[Translated summary: A military company from the Peruvian defence sector has opened an assembly and repair centre for Czech handguns in its plant. The company sold a total of 250,000 weapons in 2015 and most of its production is exported to Europe and US.]
Las pistolas de Česká zbrojovka se van a montar en Perú. La empresa militar FAME, con sede en Lima, ha abierto en su planta una zona de montaje y reparaciones de los productos checos. Se trata de la primera... (GunPolicy.org)
7,000 Guns Registered During Campaign in Bolivia [ES]
31 August 2016
El País (Bolivia)
[Translated summary: During a program in Bolivia, civilians registered 7,000 firearms. Any owner with unregistered guns must surrender or register them and obtain a licence. Bolivia divides the registration into four categories: guns for self-defence, for hunting, for collectors and for other activities. Unlicensed citizens could face prison sentences.]
A nivel nacional fueron más de 7.000 armas de fuego registradas, de las cuales 495 corresponden a la ciudad de... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Missing and Stolen Firearms Increases in Chile [ES]
22 August 2016
Notimerica (Spain)
[Translated summary: In 2010 there were 11,751 firearms missing in Chile, a number that increased to 20,200 in 2016. Also, 7,457 arms were reported stolen in 5 years. As at July this year, Chile has 805,564 registered firearms.]
SANTIAGO DE CHILE -- Las autoridades chilenas y la Policía están preocupadas por el aumento progresivo del número de armas de fuego, especialmente las que no se encuentran regularizadas y perdidas.
Desde el año 2010 se reportaron 642... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Registers 851 Guns for Civilians, Security Firms [ES]
20 August 2016
Ecuador Inmediato
[Translated summary: Ecuador's Arms Control Centre has registered 400 firearms for civilian use and 451 for security companies. In order to receive a firearm licence, Ecuadorians must pass a psychological test, a biometric registration, present a bill in their name and pay a tax. The Center is currently planning to destroy 238 seized arms. 215 were destroyed last year.]
Es importante que al vender o en caso de perder un arma, registrar el traspaso o pérdida, por... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroys 2,000 Guns, Plans Bullet Registry - NYTimes
17 August 2016
New York Times
Venezuelan police crushed and chopped up nearly 2,000 shotguns and pistols in a Caracas city square on Wednesday, as the new interior minister relaunched a long-stalled gun control campaign in one of the world's most crime-ridden countries.
Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the event marked the renewal of efforts to disarm Venezuelans, through a combination of seizures and a voluntary program to swap guns for electrical goods.
Venezuela has the world's second... (GunPolicy.org)
Scores of Gun Licences to Be Revoked in Guyana
14 August 2016
Demerara Waves (Guyana)
Scores of gun licenses are about to be revoked in the coming months, in keeping with a decision by the government to weed out those that had been wrongfully issued, no longer required or are in the hands of mentally unstable persons, Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said Sunday.
"It would be a massive, massive exercise so that is the difficulty but for the sake of the security of this nation I, as minister, will not make the massiveness of the exercise an... (GunPolicy.org)
Another 25,000 Firearms Crushed, Smelted in Argentina [ES]
13 August 2016
El Dia (Argentina)
[Translated Summary: Under the supervision of Justice and Security Ministers, the Argentinian government destroyed over 25,000 firearms seized in police operations in various provinces. Destruction involves crushing, then melting the firearms using a high temperature furnace. ]
Bajo la atenta mirada de los ministros de Justicia, Germán Garavano; de Seguridad, Patricia Bullrich, y la titular de la Agencia Nacional de Materiales Controlados (Anmac), Natalia Gambaro, el... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill Touts Gun, Ammo Ballistic Fingerprinting in Colombia [ES]
10 August 2016
El Pueblo (Colombia), Redacción Cali
[Translated summary: In Colombia, 85% of homicides are caused by firearms and 80% of them remain unpunished. Colombia's Senator, Jorge Iván Ospina, will submit a bill that establishes the National Register of Ballistic Identification for firearms. This will allow police to know when legal weapons are used in crimes.]
El Senador Jorge Iván Ospina del Partido Alianza Verde presentará el Proyecto de Ley que establece el Registro Nacional de Identificación Balística... (GunPolicy.org)
Police to Verify Addresses of Gun Applicants in Chile [ES]
8 August 2016
La Tercera (Chile)
[Translated summary: According to Chile's Firearm Control Law, police will now have to verify the address of every new applicant for a gun licence. New regulations also include a psychiatric examination, a skill test, and a check of criminal records. Chile has an estimated 769,000 active firearms registered.]
Resolución de la DGMN aumenta medidas de seguridad para la tenencia de armamento y ordena comprobar la dirección del dueño. Además, los instrumentos de fuego... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Brazil,Ecuador,Russia,Chile
Brazil, Chile, Ecuador Largest LatAmerican Gun Exporters [ES]
6 August 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: Brazil is the main firearms exporter in Latin America, with over 4 million guns sold between 2005 and 2010 and 85 million USD earned in the 2014-2015 period. 54% of these guns were purchased by the US. Chile is the second largest exporter, followed by Ecuador.]
El comercio de armamento a nivel internacional es un negocio multimillonario. Mueve unos 76.000 millones de dólares al año. El continente latinoamericano no es ajeno a este negocio.
"En... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia's FARC Will Have 180 Days to Surrender Guns [ES]
5 August 2016
El Espectador (Colombia)
[Translated Summary: In the Colombian peace process, there is a strict plan for the FARC cease-fire. This agreement includes monitoring and verification, rules for the definitive cessation of bilateral hostilities, and the surrender of firearms which should finish within the next 180 days.]
El jefe negociador también señaló que la próxima semana los delegados del Gobierno y las Farc harán recorrerán las zonas veredales que recibirán a la guerrilla para la... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 4,000 Guns Registered in Bolivian City in 11 Months [ES]
2 August 2016
Erbol Digital (Bolivia)
[Translated Summary: Local police in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, registered over 4,000 firearms for civilian use in 11 months. In order to register their firearms, owners should not have any police or criminal records and they should submit their equipment to a police examination.]
La Policía de Santa Cruz registró cerca a cuatro mil armas de fuego de uso civil en 11 meses, informó el jefe de Laboratorio de la Fuerza Especial de Lucha Contra el Crimen, Christian... (GunPolicy.org)
1,396 Firearms Disabled During 2016 in Zulia, Venezuela [ES]
2 August 2016
Noticia Al Dia (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Venezuela's National Disarmament Service has disabled 416 firearms that were stored in the different security agencies of the entity. 61 of these weapons were voluntarily surrendered. A total of 1,396 firearms have been disabled during 2016.]
Desde las instalaciones de la Zona Operativa de Defensa Integral (ZODI) del estado Zulia, el Servicio Nacional para el Desarme (SENADES), inutilizó 416 armas de fuego, provenientes de las salas de resguardo... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela's Military Can Now Use Guns to Quell Protests [ES]
31 July 2016
El Tribuno (Argentina)
[Translated Summary: Due to the surge of protests in the current year (3,507 so far), Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice authorised Venezuela's National Armed Force to use guns to control public protests. According to the decree, "firearm use is only permitted in non-pacific public protests."]
La Justicia anuló una resolución en donde se regula el uso de armamento por parte de militares en marchas de orden público. El fallo se produce en medio de una escalada... (GunPolicy.org)
New Regulations for Firearm Possession in Peru [ES]
27 July 2016
Gestion (Peru)
[Translated summary: Peru has enacted new rules for its 242,000 firearm owners. Their licences will last 3 years and each of their firearms will have a permanent registration certificate, eliminating the need to renew it. Any person with criminal records will be banned from getting a licence. It is estimated that there are currently 380,000 firearms in civilian possession.]
La tenencia legal de armas de fuego se regía por una ley de 1989, pero esto cambió el 7 de... (GunPolicy.org)
Registered Guns Up 20% in Chile in 2015 [ES]
19 July 2016
Publimetro (Chile)
[Translated Summary: Firearm registrations increased 20% in Chile in 2015. That year, a total of 8,123 firearms were registered, 1,364 more than in 2014. With this number, the total of firearms registered until 2015 is 804,000.]
En el período fueron registradas legalmente 1.364 armas más que en en año 2014, pasando de 6.759 a 8.123.
En un 20% creció la inscripción de armas en Chile durante 2015, de acuerdo a lo informado por la Dirección General de Movilización... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,United States,Central America,Mexico
USA Floods Mexico with 200,000 Illegal Guns Every Year [ES]
17 July 2016
RT (Moscow)
[Translated Summary: According to a Peruvian journalist, the abundance of firearms in any Latin American country is almost always directly proportional to its proximity to the local superpower. In 2014, over 28,000 American firearms valued at US$21.6 million entered legally to Mexico, but every year an average of 212,000 firearms enter illegally.]
En América Latina se registran 76.000 muertes por año vinculadas al uso de armas de fuego. Sobre este total la mayoría... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 31,500 Firearms Delivered to Peruvian National Police [ES]
7 July 2016
Peru 21
[Translated summary: With a US$13 million investment, Peruvian government acquired 31,557 firearms manufactured in the United States. These were given to the National Police to fight crime and insecurity. The lot includes 28,707 9x19 mm pistols, 150 assault rifles, 50 sub-machine guns, 5 sniper rifles and 50 pistols for the Police special units.]
Con una inversión de 13 millones de dólares, el Gobierno adquirió 31,557 armas de fuego fabricadas en Estados Unidos y... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,South America,Argentina,Central America,Mexico
Handgun Trade Worth US$699 Million in Latin America [ES]
30 June 2016
Gestion (Peru)
[Translated Summary: According to a survey by a research team in Geneva, in the past year the three Latin American countries that exported most handguns were Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. The countries that imported most handguns were Mexico, Chile and Colombia. The US was the main buyer.]
La encuesta de armas pequeñas del 2015 reveló cifras de los principales países latinoamericanos exportadores e importadores de armas de fuego autorizadas. La encuesta fue... (GunPolicy.org)
FARC Guns To Be Melted Into 3 Monuments in Colombia [ES]
23 June 2016
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
[Translated summary: According to the agreement signed by the government and the FARC, their surrendered firearms are going to be collected, stored and melted to make three monuments in Colombia. Once the members of the FARC are completely disarmed, they will be able to rejoin civilian life.]
Serán registradas, almacenadas y sacadas de los campamentos. Se fundirán para hacer tres monumentos.
Las armas con las que la guerrilla de las Farc le ha hecho la guerra al... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Destroyed More Than 12,000 Firearms in 2016 [ES]
22 June 2016
Correo del Orinoco (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Venezuelan authorities have seized a total of 12,772 firearms during the current year in 51 different tactical operations. The Minister for Justice and Peace noted that some firearms were the result of voluntary surrender from civilians who "are tired of being armed and they traded them for domestic appliances, so they can live in harmony."]
Un total de 12 mil 772 armas de fuego han sido inutilizadas durante este año por las autoridades... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru Finds, Cancels 18,000 Gun Licences of Dead People [ES]
16 June 2016
Andina (Lima)
[Translated Summary: 18,916 firearm licences were cancelled in Peru after it was determined that their holders were deceased. Heirs or relatives will have to get their own licence or transfer the arms to a licensed person. Another 846 licences belonging to felons were also revoked.]
Un total de 18,916 licencias de armas de fuego canceló la Superintendencia Nacional de Control de Servicios de Seguridad, Armas, Municiones y Explosivos de Uso Civil (Sucamec), tras... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia to Relaunch Register of Firearms for Civilian Use [ES]
14 June 2016
Erbol Digital (Bolivia)
[Translated Summary: The Bolivian Government will relaunch the Register of Firearms for Civilian Use to encourage civilians to register their guns. Since the Register was launched, 3,060 firearms have been registered. Civilians with illegal guns could face six months to six years of prison.]
El Ministerio de Gobierno a través del Viceministerio de Régimen Interior y Policía realizará el próximo martes 14 de junio, el relanzamiento del Registro de Armas de Fuego de... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Disabled More Than 8,000 Guns in 2016 [ES]
6 June 2016
Analitica (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: Since the beginning of Venezuela's Liberation of the People Operation, more than 8,000 firearms were disabled. In 2015, 24,000 firearms had been seized and disabled.]
La viceministra del Sistema Integral de Investigación Penal, Katherine Harrington, ofreció un balance el domingo sobre el despliegue de la Operación Liberación del Pueblo (OLP) en el país y precisó que en lo que va de 2016 se han inutilizado más de 8 mil armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay Considers Strict Gun Control Law for Civilians [ES]
31 May 2016
ABC (Paraguay)
[Translated summary: A bill to control civilian gun use is under review in Deputies, putting seven million Paraguayans on edge. It authorizes police to carry out checks, compels the firearm owner to communicate a change of residence, imposes fines that exceed 5 million Paraguayan Guaranies, and even 10-years in prison.]
En Diputados se encuentra en estudio un proyecto de ley de armas de uso civil, que pondrá en vilo a siete millones de paraguayos. Faculta a la... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Disabled 10,723 Guns in 2016 [ES]
27 May 2016
Noticias 24 (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: In Venezuela, the National Disarmament Service has disabled 10,723 firearms so far this year, since the promulgation of the Law for the Disarmament, Arms and Ammunition Control. More than 400 guns coming from police departments were also disabled.]
VALENCIA -- El Servicio Nacional para el Desarme (SENADES), ha inutilizado la cantidad de 10 mil 723 armas de fuego en el país durante el año 2016.
Así lo dio a conocer la viceministra del Sistema... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,South America,United States
Latin America's Fatal Gun Addiction Fuelled by US Arms Dealers
27 May 2016
Foreign Affairs (US)
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S.-issued military hardware in the Western Hemisphere. All manner of weaponry—including over 32,500 M-16s and 270,000 grenades—seeped into the country from 1980 to 1993. Most of it was destined for the military-led government so that it could wage a vicious war against the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMNL. Although the armed conflict officially ended in 1992, the guns, grenades,... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Law Brings 42% Decrease in Crime Gun Use [ES]
26 May 2016
Ecuador Inmediato
[Translated summary: 2016 is the first year in Ecuador in which most of the violent deaths weren't committed with a firearm, due to the ban on the carry and the restricted ownership, as well as the police controls. 1,279 firearms were seized in the first trimester of 2016.]
En el primer trimestre del 2016 se decomisaron 1.279 objetos de este tipo 2016 es el primer año en el que la mayoría de muertes violentas no han sido perpetradas con armas de fuego. José Serrano,... (GunPolicy.org)
Security Firms a Big Source of Guns for Criminals in Brazil
23 May 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Over 30 percent of all weapons belonging to private security firms in Rio de Janeiro end up in the hands of criminals, authorities say, highlighting an important yet often overlooked source of firearms for criminal groups throughout Latin America.
A Federal Police report accessed by Globo states that at least 17,662 firearms were diverted or stolen from the stockpiles of private security companies in Rio de Janeiro state over the last 10 years. This figure represents... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela District Seized, Destroyed 550 Guns in 2016 [ES]
19 May 2016
Radio Nacional de Venezuela
[Translated summary: Only this month, more than 300 confiscated guns were destroyed in Barinas, Venezuela. Yhey included 12 and 16 gauge shotguns, 9mm pistols and home-made weapons.]
La Comisionada estadal de la Gran Misión A Toda Vida Venezuela en Barinas, Lidia Rodríguez, destacó que sólo este mes destruyeron más de 300 armas incautadas durante diferentes procedimientos, entre las cuales destacan escopetas calibre 12 y 16, pistolas 9 milímetros y armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Lawyers Push to Carry Hidden Handguns in Brazil [PT]
18 May 2016
Metrópoles (Brazil)
[Translated summary: Hidden handguns could become an option for lawyers, who by the risks of the profession may be entitled to be armed. A bill approved by the Public Safety Commission and Combating Organized Crime of the House of Representatives promises to heat up the debate.]
O Projeto de Lei nº 704/15, do deputado Ronaldo Benedet (PMDB-SC), ressalta que o porte de armas é para defesa pessoal, condicionado a requisitos do Estatuto do Desarmamento.
No cenário... (GunPolicy.org)
Blade Weapons and Firearms Surrendered in Colombia [ES]
18 May 2016
El Universal (Colombia)
[Translated summary: Citizens of Santiago de Tolú, Colombia, voluntarily handed over four home-made firearms and 300 knives and blade weapons during a Disarmament Plan.]
Cuatro armas de fuego tipo artesanal y alrededor de trescientas corto punzantes, fueron entregadas a las autoridades durante la realización de un 'Plan Desarme' en el municipio de Santiago de Tolú.
La estrategia que busca mejorar los niveles de seguridad en sectores conocidos como de alto riesgo... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Records Not Issued in Brazil for Lack of Paper [PT]
17 May 2016
Pravda (Brazil)
[Translated summary: The death of a Military Officer in Rio de Janeiro drew attention to a serious situation: the lack of paper for the issue of Gun Registration Certificates. The difficulty to obtain firearms records in Brazil is not new. After the Disarmament Statute implementation in 2003, restrictive laws sought to make the process bureaucratic and expensive.]
A morte de um Policial Militar no inicio deste mês no Morro do Alemão, no Rio de Janeiro, chamou... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil: Firearm Use to Aggravate Penalty in Violent Crime [PT]
16 May 2016
Agência Senado (Brazil)
[Translated summary: The use of firearms in crimes committed with violence or serious threat to the person may soon attract stiffer penalties. The harmful potential of the firearm will be considered in two ways: if the weapon is of permitted use, the penalty shall be increased in half and it will be doubled if the device used in the crime is of limited use.]
O uso de arma de fogo em crimes praticados com violência ou grave ameaça à pessoa poderá ter pena mais... (GunPolicy.org)
Hunting Permits to Counter Gun Violence in French Guiana [FR]
11 May 2016
France Guyane
[Translated summary: In French Guiana there has been ten homicides so far this year, three of them related to domestic violence. Public prosecutor Éric Vaillant proposes the establishment of hunting permits to reduce firearm proliferation.]
La première semaine du mois de mai a été marquée par deux meurtres et une tentative d'homicide, avec une victime qui est entre la vie et mort à l'hôpital. Éric Vaillant, le procureur de la République, met sur la table le... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Police Dismantle Gang that Rented Firearms [ES]
11 May 2016
El Tiempo (Ecuador)
[Translated summary: Ecuador national police dismantled a criminal organisation that rented firearms to hitmen, drug dealers and thieves. They found 20 revolvers.]
La Policía nacional a través de la Unidad de Inteligencia Antidelincuencial, UIAD, desarticuló una presunta organización criminal que se dedicaba a alquilar armas de fuego para cometer varios delitos.
El Ministerio del Interior en su cuenta de Twitter informó que tomó tres meses a los agentes de la... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns for Destruction Found Instead in Argentina Crime [ES]
10 May 2016
Sin Mordaza (Argentina)
[Translated summary: An Argentinian minister was ordered to incinerate 700 guns last year. In the next months police found 17 of them in the hands of criminals, indicating that they were diverted to the illegal circuit before arriving at the furnace.]
Son unas 700 piezas que el exministro Raúl Lamberto había ordenado incinerar. 17 de ellas aparecieron en manos de delincuentes, y se desconoce cuántas más podrían estar en esa situación.
En noviembre del año... (GunPolicy.org)
Probe Into Firearms Stolen From Argentina Gun Registry [ES]
8 May 2016
Clarín (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The new head of Argentina's National Firearm Registry suspects that some automatic and machine guns were stolen and used in crimes. The National Registry is in charge of storing guns that are evidence in legal cases; it is estimated that it has 40,000 in its deposits.]
Tráfico de armas: La titular de ese organismo empezó un inventario. Si confirma faltantes, formulará una denuncia penal.
Hoy por hoy el Registro Nacional de Armas (RENAR) -el... (GunPolicy.org)
Public Debate Over 87,671 Gun Deaths in Argentina [ES]
6 May 2016
Diario La Provincia (Argentina)
[Translated summary: According to a university study, there have been 87,671 firearm deaths between 1983 and 2012 in Argentina. The National Arms Registry's Director thinks the country needs to move forward with the civilian disarmament policy.]
Hugo Spinelli, investigador de la Universidad de Lanús (UNLa), realizó un informe en el que detalla que entre 1983 y 2012 hubo 87.671 muertes por armas de fuego en nuestro país.
Por su parte, el presidente de la Asociación... (GunPolicy.org)
Active Soldiers Were Trafficking Guns in Colombia [ES]
28 April 2016
RCN Radio (Colombia)
[Translated summary: Active soldiers in Colombia had a gun trafficking network where they sold parts of machine guns and ammunition stolen from military armouries.]
Un suboficial, dos soldados profesionales y un civil al servicio del Ejército conformaban una red encargada de comercializar armas y partes para las mismas, así quedó evidenciado en medio de un operativo que las autoridades señalaron como una acción de contrainteligencia coordinada con el CTI de la... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Concerned at Attempted Thefts from Military Arsenal
27 April 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A rise in attempted arms thefts from Uruguay's military barracks in 2016 has sparked debate over the criminal nature of the perpetrators involved, and again drawn attention to the country's role as a source of weapons for regional arms traffickers.
During a meeting of the Uruguayan Senate's security commission on April 26, Senator Javier García said 32 attempts to enter barracks and steal weapons have occurred in 2016. Of these, 11 led to exchanges of gunfire,... (GunPolicy.org)
Havana Peace Talks Discuss the Future of FARC Guns [ES]
19 April 2016
Notimérica, Colprensa [Colombia]
[Translated summary: According to an estimate by the Ministry of Defense, the FARC owns almost 25,000 small arms and more than 4,000 'support' guns. Peace talks in Havana are now discussing this number, and what to do with them.]
El destino final de las armas que convirtieron a las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) en la organización ilegal más tenebrosa de Colombia es una de las decisiones que más tensión genera en la mesa de diálogos de La... (GunPolicy.org)
Russian Gun Factories Resume Construction in Venezuela [ES]
16 April 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: Construction of Kalashnikov rifle and ammunition plants in Venezuela restarted in April 2016. Construction was halted in 2014 after the discovery of a $15 million embezzlement in Russia. The plants are estimated to be 70% complete.]
MOSCÚ -- La construcción de plantas para fabricar fusiles y municiones Kalashnikov se reanudó este abril en Venezuela, comunicó Anatoli Punchuk, subdirector general del Servicio Federal de Cooperación Técnica... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia Extends Amnesty to Register Illegal Guns [ES]
11 April 2016
La Razón (Bolivia), Agencia Boliviana de Información
[Translated summary: Bolivian government is expanding the voluntary registration of firearms in the hopes of guaranteeing security and reducing ilegal possession. It is estimated that there are 7,300 legally registered firearms in the country and another 2,499 have been registered since the implementation of the voluntary registration.]
El registro voluntario de armas de fuego se ampliará por 180 días, una vez que el Gobierno emita el decreto, para garantizar la... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: La Razón (Bolivia), Agencia Boliviana de Información
Argentina Military Industries Involved in Gun Trafficking [ES]
8 April 2016
La Nación (Argentina)
[Translated summary: In Argentina, for over twenty years, armament and ammunition coming from the State-owned enterprise Military Industries have been surfacing in different countries such as Ecuador, Croatia and Brazil. New findings show that Military Industries was also using public resources to illegally manufacture and sell armaments.]
El descubrimiento de un circuito ilegal en una planta de Fabricaciones Militares indica la urgente necesidad de poner fin a la... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina: Each Day Eight People Die Due to Firearms [ES]
31 March 2016
La Nación
[Translated summary: Argentina's Ministry of Health says guns kill eight people each day. The Argentinian Network for Disarmament (RAD) claims that most of these deaths could be prevented if civilians were disarmed. Argentina has over 1.5 million registered weapons, with perhaps an equal number in the illegal market.]
El absurdo homicidio de Daniel De Negris, el cerrajero que falleció al ser baleado cuando caminaba por el microcentro, confirma la estremecedora regla:... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador,Honduras,South America,Mexico,Venezuela,Central America
Different Approach to Reduce Violence in Latin America
29 March 2016
Americas Quarterly, Opinion
Reducing violence is not about controlling violent neighborhoods or even about controlling violent people. It is about inducing people to control themselves. That's it. The best policing comes when no police are required.
The question is how to achieve this in Latin America, the most violent region in the world and home to countries like El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela, each with homicide rates similar to war zones.
The answer may be unsettling. Many instances of... (GunPolicy.org)
With Nearly 60,000 Deaths, Brazil Wants Easier Gun Access
28 March 2016
National Public Radio (USA)
At the dilapidated morgue in the northern Brazilian city of Natal, Director Marcos Brandao walks over the blood-smeared floor to where the corpses are kept.
He points out the labels attached to the bright metal doors, counting out loud. It has not been a particularly bad night, yet there are nine shooting victims in cold storage.
Most were shot with guns that were not legally owned, he says.
Almost 60,000 people were murdered in Brazil in 2014, most with guns. While... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearms Trafficking from Uruguay to Brazil [ES]
21 March 2016
El Pais (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: Four people were arrested by the Special Brigade for International Crimes, for trafficking firearms from Uruguay to Brazil. The traffickers paid 'mules' to lawfully buy firearms in Uruguay 'since the sale of firearms in the country is free', a police source said.]
La Brigada Especial en Delitos Internacionales detuvo a cuatro personas que traficaban armas desde Río Branco (Cerro Largo) hacia Brasil. El modo de operar de los traficantes era... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay,Bolivia,Argentina,United States
Top Paraguay Official Reveals Arms Trafficking Secrets
10 March 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A raid on a weapons "supermarket" in Paraguay has led officials to offer details of the inner workings of the country's arms trade, depicting a familiar mix of corruption, stolen military arms, and guns legally bought in the United States.
On March 9, security forces discovered an arsenal of high powered weaponry in a raid on a house in Paraguay's capital city of Asunción, which included machine guns, assault rifles, and armour piercing weapons, reported ABC. So far,... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Brazil,South Africa
Gun Control: What Works and What Doesn't
7 March 2016
Washington Post, Blog
Gun control works, but you have to be smart about it.
That's the takeaway from a major new analysis out this month in the journal Epidemiologic Reviews. Columbia University's Julian Santaella-Tenorio and a team of researchers pored over the results of 130 studies on gun control legislation passed in 10 different countries to find out which policy interventions worked, which ones didn't and on what issues the jury was still out.
Big caveat up front: Sussing out cause... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,United States,Spain,France
Mexico Weapons Imports Increased 331% since 2011
23 February 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Mexico's arms imports grew by 331 percent over the last five years, compared to 2006-2010, raising more concerns over the government's reluctance to scale back the militarization of the drug war.
The report (pdf), compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), notes that arms imports to the Americas decreased by 6 percent from 2011-2015 versus 2006-2010. Despite this, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil all saw a rise in imports.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
After 12 Years in Force, Gun Law Faces Repeal in Brazil
12 December 2015
Agência Brasil
After twelve years of its introduction, the Brazilian law that tightened the restrictions for owning and carrying firearms in the country is about to be changed by Congress. Since 2003, the Disarmament Statute (Law No. 10,826) has faced repeal threats that may now be carried out with the passing of an amendment bill proposed in 2012 that is ready to be brought to a floor vote at the Chamber of Deputies.
Amid controversy and public quarrels in Congress, the changes to... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Brazil,Argentina,United Kingdom
Australian Gun Expert Critiques America: You've Lost Control
10 December 2015
Washington Post, Opinion
Although we foreigners can offer no immediate solution to America's gun infestation, we can see how you lost control of the plague of armed violence. Outsiders are also perplexed to see that you've done so little to grant your citizens a basic human right — the freedom to live without fear of death by gunshot.
Historically, there's little mystery as to how it began. The early laws of each European empire relied on two pillars of gun safety: Firearm owners were... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Congress to Consider Bill Loosening Gun Control
24 November 2015
Americas Society / Council of the Americas (AS/COA)
A measure that would loosen gun control in Brazil—home to one of the largest absolute number of homicides globally—is wending its way through Congress. Supported by the so-called "bullets, beef, and bible" caucus, the legislation could dismantle the country's landmark 2003 disarmament legislation.
Where does the bill stand?
On November 3, a congressional committee approved the bill, which now heads to the Chamber of Deputies floor. Called the Gun Control Statute,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Americas Society / Council of the Americas (AS/COA)
Brazil Seeks to Copy US Gun Culture
12 November 2015
Time (USA)
Rio de Janeiro - Congressmen in Brazil, one of the most violent countries in the world, are proposing to dramatically loosen restrictions on personal gun ownership, bringing the country much closer to the American right to bear arms.
The politicians say the measures are necessary to allow embattled citizens the right to defend themselves from criminals armed with illegal weapons. But opponents say the move will only increase the country's toll of nearly 60,000 murders... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Guns Used in Crime in Uruguay Are Legally Owned
12 October 2015
La Prensa (USA), EFE News Agency
MONTEVIDEO - Three out of four firearms used in crimes in Uruguay are properly registered with the Defense Ministry, which has documentation for more than 604,000 weapons in a country of 3.3 million people.
"That is to say, they (the guns) have been stolen, or purchased legally, but they end up in the hands of criminals," the head of the ministry's National Firearms Registry, Daniel Farias, told EFE.
As of July, the registry had records of 604,632 firearms.
By... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina,Canada,Mexico,Australia,United Kingdom,Russia,China,South Africa,United States,Israel,Norway,Finland,Germany,Switzerland
Three European Countries Lead US in Mass Shootings: WSJ
3 October 2015
Wall Street Journal
The latest U.S. shooting that ended in the deaths of 10 people at an Oregon college last week is reigniting calls for tighter gun laws and prompting comparisons to gun violence in other countries.
President Barack Obama asked why Americans can't follow the example of the U.K. and Australia. They crafted laws that "almost eliminate mass shootings," he said. "We know there are ways to prevent it."
Adam Lankford, an associate professor at the University of Alabama... (GunPolicy.org)
Chile's New Firearms Act Increases Penalties Related to Gun Possession
16 May 2015
La Tercera (Santiago de Chile)
[Translated summary: Chile's new Firearms Act increases penalties and requirements on firearm possession. In 2014 there were 763,070 registered firearms, including 397,438 for personal defence. In 2015, 3,618 weapons were surrendered, compared to 2,771 in 2014 and 2,507 in 2013.]
Durante el año pasado, 623 personas realizaron trámites y rindieron los exámenes para comprar e inscribir un arma de fuego en el Gran Santiago. Sin embargo, a 84 de éstas se les negó la... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia,Brazil,Honduras,El Salvador,Venezuela,United States,Belize
Latin America Leads World on Murder Map
6 May 2015
Guardian (Latin America)
Latin America may be the most murderous continent on Earth, but huge improvements in public safety have been achieved in several major cities, according to a new homicide map of the world that is being launched this week.
Several metropolises that were once bywords for violent death – such as Medellín, Bogotá, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro - have seen murder rate declines of more than 60% over the past two decades thanks to improved living standards, better... (GunPolicy.org)
Nicaragua,Peru,Haiti,Dominican Republic,Cuba,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala,Turkey,El Salvador,United States,Russia,Austria,Belgium,Colombia,Brazil,Czech Republic,Germany,Israel,Venezuela,Italy,Spain
16 January 2015
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S. military hardware and weaponry in the Western Hemisphere. Although the Central American country's civil war ended in 1992, the guns, grenades and bullets linger, as do their murderous effects. In September, a U.S. official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimated that half the weapons available on El Salvador's vibrant black market were made in the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia on Track for Least Violent Year in 3 Decades
8 January 2015
InSight Crime (Bogota)
While the official number of homicides hasn't yet been released by authorities, the statistics available thus far indicate that conflict-ridden Colombia may have just registered its most peaceful year in decades. However, the data doesn't tell the whole story.
According to police statistics accessed by El Tiempo, between January and December 1, 2014, Colombia saw over 11,600 murders. Added to more recent police figures showing 1,155 murders in the month of December,... (GunPolicy.org)
High Murder Rates in Brazil and South Africa Put Firearms Back in Spotlight
24 November 2014
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
Brazil and South Africa have dramatically expanded their geopolitical influence over the past two decades. But after years of democratic and economic gains, the two countries now find themselves in the doldrums. One of the reasons for this is that they are addicted to violence. Brazil and South Africa lead their respective continents in murder. This is no easy feat: last year the United Nations reported that 8 of the top 10 most violent countries in the world were... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Cuba,United States,Russia,Nicaragua,Israel,El Salvador,Honduras,Europe,Belgium,Czech Republic,Germany,Italy,South Africa,Spain,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,Argentina,Chile,Paraguay,Panama,Ecuador
Small Arms Trade a 'Dramatic Threat' to Latin America
13 October 2014
NACLA
Small arms and gun violence present the most dramatic threat to public safety in Latin America and the Caribbean. After decades of uncontrolled proliferation, at least 45 million to 80 million small arms and light weapons—that is, weapons operated by an individual or small group, including handguns, assault rifles, grenades, grenade launchers, and even man portable surface to air missiles—are circulating throughout the region.(1) Gunshots kill between 73,000 and... (GunPolicy.org)
Draft Firearms Act to Be Discussed in Suriname Assembly
26 August 2014
Times of Suriname
The draft of the Firearms Amendment Act has to be discussed in the National Assembly.
Currently the attorney‐general is responsible for the firearms policy, says minister Edward Belfort of Justice and Police. After amending the Firearms Act the minister of Justice and Police will be responsible.
The amendment has been prepared by the former government. As soon as minister Belfort is entitled to submit firearms licences, he will compose a... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Authorities Concerned About Children with Handguns [ES]
24 June 2014
El Pais (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: Authorities are concerned about the use of handguns and other firearms by children in Uruguay. Many of the handguns come from Argentina, because they are cheaper, but it is not clear how youths are obtaining the firearms.]
"Que los menores estén bien armados, es la realidad de hoy. En el pasado usaban armas más antiguas y precarias. Ese es su comportamiento", dijo a El País la jueza de Adolescentes, Aída Vera Barreto.
Una opinión similar... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Handguns Seized in Three Areas of Ecuador [ES]
24 June 2014
El Telégrafo (Ecuador)
[Translated summary: 1,604 handguns were seized in Ecuador during the first quarter of 2014, over half of which were seized in Guayas, Pichincha and Manabi. The Ecuadorian Center for Comprehensive Safety Analysis (Ceasi) this rate has declined in comparison to previous years.]
Durante el primer trimestre del presente año Guayas, Pichincha y Manabí acumulan la mayor cantidad de incautaciones y decomisos de armas, según el Centro Ecuatoriano de Análisis de Seguridad... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 800 Seized Firearms Deactivated in Venezuela [ES]
12 June 2014
Ultimas Noticias (Venezuela)
[Translated summary: 825 firearms were seized by Venezuelan authorities between September 2013 and June 2014. They will be deactivated in compliance with the 2013 Law on Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Disarmament, to prevent them being diverted to criminals.]
Un total de 825 armas de fuego, incautadas por los cuerpos de seguridad del Estado, han sido inutilizadas en el estado Aragua por la Misión A Toda Vida Venezuela, desde septiembre de 2013 hasta junio de este... (GunPolicy.org)
60,000 Registered Firearms, 419,000 Owners in Colombia, 2014
17 May 2014
El Tiempo (Bogotá)
[…]Hoy, según las cifras del Comando General de las Fuerzas Militares, hay 560.667 armas de fuego amparadas que están en poder de 419.278 tenedores legales. De ellos, 264.736 registros corresponden a empresas de vigilancia y departamentos de seguridad.
+++++
[Translated content]
Today, according to figures from the General Command of the Military Forces, there are 560,667 registered firearms in the possession of 419,278 legal holders. Of these, 264,736... (GunPolicy.org)
No Silver Bullet… But Focus on Guns to Reduce Global Violence
16 May 2014
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
There is no "silver bullet" to reduce armed violence, a multi-faceted, complex phenomenon with a long list of drivers, risk factors and causal connections. Moreover, the local manifestation of armed violence often reflects unique factors and peculiarities found in a given community, country or culture, but not elsewhere.
As once noted about politics, all violence is also local; as such, there are many different interpretations of the best ways to confront this global... (GunPolicy.org)
Crime, Conflict and Illegal Mining Fuel Ecuador Arms Trafficking
13 May 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Illegal mining, Colombian armed criminal groups and common crime are the three main markets for Ecuador's illegal arms trade, according to authorities, as the black market continues to be a headache for both that country and its neighbor Colombia.
During 2013 and the first three months of 2014, Ecuador's Armed Forces seized 4,530 illegal firearms, and 457,310 rounds of ammunition, reported El Comercio. An unnamed top police official told the newspaper that some of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,United States,United Kingdom,Australia
Lessons in Gun Control from Australia and Brazil
6 May 2014
Emergency Management
In the year and a half since 20 children were killed by a gunman at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., a handful of states have passed laws requiring universal background checks, bans on semi-automatic weapons and limits on high-capacity magazines. But the U.S. remains a patchwork of uneven regulations on firearms, ammunition and gun owners. Meanwhile, at least 44 school shootings have occurred since the Newtown tragedy.
If state leaders want to curb... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador Captures Crime Suspects, Seizes Assault Weapons, Handguns
2 May 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Authorities in Ecuador have captured members of what they call the "most dangerous" group dedicated to bank robbery at a national level, in an example of an apparently well-organized and sophisticated homegrown criminal operation.
In an operation labeled "Quimera," Ecuadorean police carried out 24 raids in three western cities in which they arrested 10 men and seized weaponry including assault rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, bulletproof vests and an explosive... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Man Fatally Shoots Wife and Daughter, Attempts Suicide in Brazil [PT]
22 April 2014
Globo (Rio de Janeiro)
[Translated summary: Italian national Enrico Telese was hospitalised after he attempted suicide following the fatal shooting of his wife and daughter in Brazil. Telese had 71 guns registered to his name although only the one involved in the crime was found at their home. Officials are searching for the remaining weapons.]
RIO - O italiano Enrico Telese, de 58 anos, que tentou suicídio após matar a tiros a mulher e a filha, de 3 anos, no fim da tarde da última... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns, Drugs Seized in Argentina Amid Crime Surge
22 April 2014
NTD News (New York City)
BUENOS AIRES - A series of raids west of Buenos Aires yielded 250 arrests and unearthed firearms and drugs, police said Monday, the second such operation in as many weeks.
"There were 20 separate related raids in La Matanza, Moreno, Merlo and Moron, in which 250 people were detained, marijuana and cocaine were confiscated, as well as firearms" and 76 vehicles, police chief Daniel Sobrero said.
On Saturday, police said around 100 suspects were arrested and 85 weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic to Launch Disarmament Campaign
14 April 2014
Infosurhoy.com
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is following Brazil's lead in an effort to gets weapons off the street as part of a strategy to reduce crime.
Under an agreement between the two countries, Brazilian experts will offer technical assistance to help Dominican authorities establish a program to "reduce the number of firearms and ammunition among the civil population," according to a prepared statement from the Ministry of Economy, Planning and... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru,Colombia,Jordan,Mexico,Guatemala,Honduras,Uruguay,Argentina,Brazil
Gun Thefts From Peru Army Supplies Points to Possible Corruption, Trafficking
3 April 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Authorities in Peru say the majority of arms used by criminal groups are stolen from private owners and security forces, highlighting a common regional phenomenon that is often facilitated by corrupt officials.
Specialists consulted by El Comercio said the majority of pistols and shotguns used by criminal groups in Peru were stolen from legitimate owners, rather than acquired through the black market. Authorities reported that 1,767 firearms were declared lost or... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil Bust Exposes Paraguay to Rio Gun Trafficking Route
24 March 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Police in Brazil have dismantled a gang dedicated to trafficking arms and drugs between Paraguay and Rio de Janeiro, further evidence of Paraguay's status as South America's contraband hub.
The operation, named "Sao Domingos," involved a 10-month investigation and saw the seizure of at least $4 million of drugs (436 kilos of cocaine and 6.5 tons of marijuana) as well as arms (including rifles and ammunition). A total of 21 people were arrested, reported G1. Estadao... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazilian Police Crack Down on Guns in Favelas Ahead of World Cup
14 March 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
Rio de Janeiro state's security forces occupied another slum today following a surge in crime in the favelas where it has expanded policing.
Heavily armed police moved into the Vila Kennedy neighborhood in the west of the city this morning, making it the 38th favela taken over since 2008, according to the state security secretariat. There were no reports of gunfire in what culminated six days of operations in other communities.
Brazil's biggest tourist destination is... (GunPolicy.org)
One in Six Uruguayans Own a Gun, NGOs Say Real Number Higher [ES]
11 March 2014
Diario UNO de Entre Rios (Argentina)
[Translated summary: One in six people in Uruguay has a gun according to recent figures. There are officially 580,000 registered firearms in Uruguay but there are concerns about an increase in gun sales on the black market amid insecurity in the Latin American region. Citizens must pass a mental health exam and firearms training to own a weapon, while carrying a weapon requires further checks. There is a strong cultural acceptance of the defensive use of a firearm,... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia,Peru,Argentina,Mexico,El Salvador
Investigation Shows Colombia Military-Criminal Firearms Trafficking Ties
4 March 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Prosecutors in Colombia have issued a warrant for a high-ranking army official who stands accused of leading a ring that sold military weapons to narco-paramilitary group the Urabeños, highlighting a common source of weapons for armed groups across the region.
Lieutenant Colonel Robinson Gonzalez del Rio led a group of four active members of the military, four retired members, two police and several private citizens that acquired guns, munitions and explosives for... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Colombia,United States,Libya,Georgia,Russia,Mexico
Banned German Firearms Being Sold in Colombia
1 March 2014
Deutsche Welle
German law prohibits the export of weapons to crisis or conflict regions. But guns sporting the label "Made in Germany" are being sold in war-torn Colombia. Manufacturers have denied any involvement in illegal exports.
A person who wants to buy a gun legally in Colombia must be at least 25 years old, provide proof of income and a gun license and possess no criminal record. The arms trade in the South American country is a state monopoly run by the weapons manufacturer... (GunPolicy.org)
Libya,West Asia,Egypt,Syria,Mali,North Africa,Italy,France,United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Belarus,China,Algeria,Caribbean,South America,Niger,Chad,European Union,Tunisia
Post-Uprising Gun Proliferation is Destabilising the Middle East
20 February 2014
Fair Observer
In recent years, as order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) eroded between uprisings and armed conflicts, the desire for arms amongst a wide range of actors became one more destabilizing factor in the complexities of each situation.
However, arms proliferation is nothing new to the MENA region. Whether it was through state actors or black market trading, weapons have circulated throughout the Middle East and North Africa for many years.
Today, arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Estranged Husband Crashes Baptism, Kills Ex-wife, Wounds 4 in Brazil
16 February 2014
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
BRASILIA – A woman died and four other people were wounded Sunday when an armed man fired several shots in a church in the town of Guarulhos, near the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, police said.
The incident occurred during the baptism ceremony for a baby and the woman who died – according to what police commissioner Joao Blase, who is handling the case, told reporters – was the child's mother.
Blase confirmed that some witnesses had said the man who fired the... (GunPolicy.org)
Falling Gun Registrations in Argentinian Region [ES]
10 February 2014
Diario El Argentino (Argentina)
[Translated summary: 47 guns were registered in the Argentinian region of Entre Rios in January 2014 according to data from the Provincial Weapons Registration Division (Repar). Most buyers are men over the age of 40 and the guns are purchased for hunting or sport shooting. The number of guns registered in the province fell from 645 in 2012 down to 566 in 2013 and it is estimated that there are 1.5 million registered in Argentina overall. Citizens must undergo a... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay Gun Seizure Linked to Brazilian Crime Gangs
10 February 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Police in Paraguay have arrested three Brazilians after finding a cache of high-powered firearms, including a heavy machine gun, in a case highlighting both the migration of Brazil's criminals into Paraguay and the escalating conflict in that important trafficking corridor.
In a house in Ciudad del Este - located in the country's Triple Frontier region with Brazil and Argentina - Paraguayan police found the Brazilians, one of them an escaped convict, along with 8... (GunPolicy.org)
Two-Thirds of Crime Guns Seized in Guyana Came from US or Brazil
30 January 2014
Caribseek News
GEORGETOWN - The Task Force on Narcotic Drugs and Illegal Firearms has recorded a total of 111 firearms seizures for 2012 compared to the 125 in the previous year.
This is according to the National Drug Report that was launched yesterday by Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee.
These include: 28 pistols, 39 revolvers, 31 shotguns, and 13 rifles; 31.5 percent of the weapons seized originated in the United States of America while a similar number originated in... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for 'Peace Zones', More Gun Control in Venezuela
28 January 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has announced the creation of "peace zones" and his justice minister said the government should consider stricter gun control, a piecemeal approach in the face of rampant violence.
According to El Universal, Maduro said the zones will be enforced through participation from state institutions and citizens, and will be implemented in "public spaces," highways, hospitals, schools and universities.
"We have to create a system of... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 18,000 Guns Seized from Brazilian State's Streets in 2013 [PT]
27 January 2014
Jornal do Brazil
[Translated summary: The homicide rate in São Paulo fell in 2013 to 10.49 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Police seized 18,844 weapons from the street in 2013.]
O estado de São Paulo teve em 2013 a segunda menor taxa de homicídios dolosos desde 2001, quando teve início a atual série histórica. O indicador de criminalidade caiu 8,2% no ano passado, com 4.439 casos.
A taxa de homicídios, principal indicador internacional de criminalidade, foi de 10,49 casos para... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia,Russia,Venezuela,Israel
'Lord of War' Arrest Shines Light on Colombia Arms Trade
22 January 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Police in Colombia have captured an arms dealer whose operations reached across continents and whose criminal contacts spanned the spectrum of Colombian armed groups.
According to police, Gustavo Velasquez, alias "El Señor de la Guerra" (the Lord of War) sourced assault rifles through contacts in Israel and Russia and moved them through Venezuela and into the department of Norte de Santander in Colombia.
Police say the arms were then sold on to the narco-guerrilla... (GunPolicy.org)
NGO Survey Shows 2 Million Unregistered Guns in Chile [ES]
19 January 2014
Terra (Chile)
[Translated summary: NGO Activa says there are around 2 million unregistered firearms in Chile and only 758,593 registered firearms, after a survey done in 2013. The study showed 9.22 weapons on average are seized each day in the country and 3.25 weapons per day in urban areas.]
Según la ONG Activa, en el país circularían cerca de 2 millones de armas de fuego no inscritas, frente a las 758.593 que se encuentran registradas por la policía.
La directora de la... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana Introduces New Law Criminalising Possession of Gun Parts
17 January 2014
Kaieteur News (Guyana)
The National Assembly yesterday met for the first time in 2014 and unanimously voted to create a new criminal offence, revamp the admissibility of various types of evidence in criminal and civil trials as well as allow for persons who received tickets for traffic offences to be allowed to make payments in any magisterial district.
For several hours at yesterday's sitting, the House voted on and unanimously for the Firearms (Amendment) Bill, the Evidence (Amendment)... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 19,000 Colombians Arrested for Illegally Carrying Weapons
13 January 2014
Prensa Latina (Havana)
BOGOTA - More than 19,000 Colombians were recently arrested for illegal carrying of weapons, which was described by the national police chief, Rodolfo Palomino, as a blow against illegal gangs involved in murders and theft.
Palomino said they seized 34,155 guns without licenses and 18 percent of the detainees claimed that the seized weapon was not theirs.
Palomino explained that early this year, 17 minors and 15 women were arrested for that offense (in 2013 the figure... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazilian City Registers 10 Gun Homicides in One Night
13 January 2014
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
SAO PAULO – The Brazilian city of Campinas, the second-largest in Sao Paulo state, on the night of Sunday and Monday registered at least 12 murders, some of which appear to be linked, authorities said.
Police told Efe that 10 people were shot to death in two of the city's neighborhoods and at least two others died in hospitals where people wounded in the shootings were taken.
The shootings happened within a span of four hours, according to media accounts.
At a... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana Sees Increase in Gun Crimes
9 January 2014
Caribbean Journal
There was a 7 percent increase in serious crimes in Guyana in 2013 compared to 2012, according to data released by the government this week.
In the Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 period, there were a total of 4,007 reports of serious crimes under review, compared to 3,760 in the 2012 calendar year.
The offences monitored included murder, armed robbery, robbery with violence, larceny and breaking and entering, among others.
There were a total of 154 murders in 2013, compared to... (GunPolicy.org)
Fatal Shooting of Beauty Queen Highlights Insecurity, Crime in Venezuela
8 January 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The murder of the 2004 Miss Venezuela winner has sparked a wave of concern over the country's security situation, forcing the government to confront a major issue it has previously tried to downplay.
Monica Spear, a model and actress, was murdered along with her British partner, Thomas Henry Berry, in an apparent robbery attempt on January 6.
According to El Universal, the couple's car broke down on the highway as they headed toward Caracas, and they were being... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombian Armoury Missing Half Its Weapons as Count Begins
6 January 2014
InSight Crime (Bogota)
An arms inspection at a military barracks in Cali, Colombia, has found 500 weapons missing out of 1,000 counted, with another 15,000 still to be checked, as a major investigation into weapons trafficking between security forces and criminal groups begins.
The inventory check at the barracks of the Colombian Army's Third Brigade, where weapons recovered by security forces in the country's third-largest city are stored, is being carried out by the country's Prosecutor... (GunPolicy.org)
12 Wounded in New Year's Eve Shooting in Brazil
1 January 2014
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
RIO JANEIRO – A total of 12 people were wounded, including one who sustained serious wounds, in a New Year's Eve shooting in the Copacabana district, one of the most famous neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, minutes before the arrival of the New Year, Agencia Brasil reported Wednesday.
The shooting started when a man who had been arguing with a woman grabbed the firearm of a police officer who had responded to the incident.
The suspect, identified as Adilson Rufino da... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands Support Move to Repeal Brazil's Gun Law [PT]
10 December 2013
Diario De Pernambuco (Brazil)
[Translated summary: A controversial bill is before the Brazilian Parliament to repeal the country's Disarmament Statute and to change rules on the acquisition and circulation of firearms in Brazil. Over 3,700 people support the move to repeal the law.]
Uma das propostas mais polêmicas em tramitação na Câmara, o Projeto de Lei 3722/12, do deputado Rogério Peninha Mendonça (PMDB-SC), que revoga o Estatuto do Desarmamento (Lei 10.826/03) e cria novas regras para a... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana President Backs Gun Law Review
29 November 2013
Caribbean Elections / Guyana Times
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – President Donald Ramotar has thrown his support behind embattled Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee for a review of the legal ownership and use of firearms.
Commenting on the issue during a special interview at the Office of the President on Wednesday, the head of state said in his opinion renewal of gun licences should not be automatic.
"The ministry and the police should have a right to review these, and see that the guns are in the hands of... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Police Have Destroyed Over 355,000 Guns in a Decade
27 November 2013
Venezuela Analysis
30,000 security cameras will be installed across Venezuela under a scheme inaugurated by President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, amid ongoing efforts to tackle street crime.
"We're establishing a support system at the highest technological level," Maduro stated during the inauguration of the Integrated Monitoring and Assistance System (SIMA).
Aimed at reducing crime though the installation of security cameras in public places, SIMA will be rolled out nationwide, "town by... (GunPolicy.org)
Seven Out of Ten Homicides in Argentinian Capital Involve Firearms [ES]
18 November 2013
Diario La Prensa (Argentina)
[Translated summary: A new report from the Argentinian Supreme Court found that 7 out of 10 intentional homicides in the greater Buenos Aires area during 2012 involved firearms. The study recorded 789 intentional homicides in total for 2012.]
El informe elaborado por la Corte Suprema reveló que en Lomas de Zamora el 78% de los crímenes fueron con armas de fuego, en La Matanza el 75% y en San Martín el 67%; mientras que donde menos se utilizó ese instrumento fue en... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Costa Rica,Caribbean,South America,Central America
Costa Rica Looks to Gun Control as Homicides Hit 'Epidemic' Levels in S America
13 November 2013
Tico Times (Costa Rica)
In most of Latin America homicide rates have exceeded 10 per 100,000 inhabitants, a rate that the World Health Organization considers "epidemic," according to a new report released Tuesday by the United Nations Development Program for Latin America.
The report came out one day before police leaders from 27 different countries across the Americas, including the United States, gathered in San José for the American Community of Police's (AMERIPOL) annual meeting to share... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Owner Dies After Shooting Four Dead in Guyana
12 November 2013
Stabroek News (Guyana)
A miner died from bullet wounds this afternoon after a two-hour siege in which he shot two policemen and two civilians dead on Middle Street.
It is unclear if the miner, Derrick Kanhai died from self-inflicted wounds or from the shoot-out with police during the mass shooting.
Policemen descended on the area this afternoon after the reports resulting in an intense gun battle that saw the two lawmen and two others nearby killed.
Confirmed dead are Lance Corporal... (GunPolicy.org)
Concern Over the Number of Guns Seized in Argentine City [ES]
3 November 2013
El Litoral (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Police in Santa Fe, Argentina have seized 644 firearms so far this year. This is an increase from 474 seized in 2011 and 523 in 2012.]
Sólo en lo que va del año, la policía secuestró 644 armas de fuego de distintos calibres, en intervenciones concretadas en diversos puntos de la ciudad.
El número resulta por demás significativo si se tiene en cuenta que supera a las 474 armas secuestradas durante todo el 2011 y a las 523 que se incautaron en... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunshot Detection System Logs 39,000 Shooting Incidents in US Capitol
3 November 2013
Washington Post
When Absalom Jordan hears the crack of gunfire outside his home in Southeast Washington, he reacts in an instant. "You get away from the windows and get down," the 72-year-old said. "I have learned to live with it."
Police are listening as well. Rooftop sensors monitor his neighborhood around the clock for the distinctive bang of a gun. The inconspicuous devices have logged hundreds of incidents over the past eight years near his apartment as part of a gunfire... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Homicides Increase in Uruguay as Drug Trade Grows
31 October 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Growing drug trafficking in Uruguay has given rise to local criminal groups involved in the trade, a sign the country may battle to maintain the relative tranquility it has historically enjoyed compared to others in the region.
According to National Police Director Julio Guarteche, "Uruguayans began as mules but now are the ones who organize large shipments and money laundering," reported Subrayado.
Guarteche said there are three main types of criminal groups... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina's Successful Gun Reduction Law Wins Top International Award
24 October 2013
Action on Armed Violence
The outstanding success of Argentina's National Programme for the Voluntary Surrender of Firearms was today recognised with a Silver Future Policy Award by the World Future Council.
The World Future Council cites the Asociación Para Politicas Publicas (APP), a long term partner of AOAV in Argentina and member of SEHLAC, as the key civil society organisation that has helped establish and implement this programme. In collaboration with the APP, AOAV works on a template... (GunPolicy.org)
Uganda,Somalia,Colombia,Kenya,United States
Interpol Chief Suggests Armed Citizenry to Counter Terrorism
21 October 2013
ABC News (USA)
Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said today the U.S. and the rest of the democratic world is at a security crossroads in the wake of last month's deadly al-Shabab attack at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya – and suggested an answer could be in arming civilians.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Noble said there are really only two choices for protecting open societies from attacks like the one on Westgate mall where so-called "soft targets" are hit:... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Youth Gun Homicides Points to Rising Organized Crime
15 October 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota) / La Nacion
Violent deaths among youth in Argentina are at a ten-year high in a pattern that may point to the rise in organized crime in the country.
In 2011, the most recent full year statistics are available, 794 people aged 15 to 29 were murdered, reported La Nacion; the total figure of 4,935 violent deaths in that age range is the highest since 2003.
The number of intentional homicides could be much higher. As reported by La Nacion, another 1,074 youth deaths were recorded as... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay,Panama,United States,Costa Rica
Costa Rica Puts Gun Permit Applications Online
1 October 2013
Tico Times
Starting Tuesday, aspiring gun owners in Costa Rica can now obtain their permits online, part of a larger trend by the government to include more services on the web.
The head of the Public Security Ministry, Mario Zamora, made the announcement at a Tuesday press conference in the western San José neighborhood of La Sabana. Zamora noted that the system will make it easier for permit-holders and will be a law enforcement tool, tracking the country's firearms.
"The new... (GunPolicy.org)
Peru Officials Worried Over Legal Guns Being Stolen for Crime [ES]
24 September 2013
Peru 21
[Translated summary: Peruvian officials have seized 949 crime guns but are concerned that 30% of these were legally owned guns diverted to the illegal market. Between 1,500 and 2,000 guns are listed as lost or stolen each year and approximately 25,000 licenses are granted each year.]
Derik Latorre, titular de la Superintendencia Nacional de Control de Servicios de Seguridad, Armas, Municiones y Explosivos de uso civil (Sucamec), reveló que 949 armas de fuego de uso... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia Enacts First Gun Control Law
19 September 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota) / El Diario
Bolivia has enacted its first firearms legislation, which may be unlikely to have a dramatic impact on the country's already low murder rate, but will at least provide the state with the tools to tackle arms trafficking.
Laying out strict limitations on who can own a weapon, the Firearms, Munitions, Explosives and Other Materials Control Law was passed on September 18 - four years after it was first proposed in 2009 - reported El Diario.
The legislation sets a six... (GunPolicy.org)
Guyana Politician Claims Crime Wave Due to Rejection of Gun Law
16 September 2013
Guyana Chronicle
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, yesterday observed that while the political opposition is busy voicing deep concern over the recent upsurge in gun-related crimes, they were the ones who recently teamed up against the Government to reject the Firearms Bill in the National Assembly.
Speaking at a People's Progressive Party / Civic (PPP/C) press briefing at Freedom House in Georgetown, and in the presence of Home Affairs Minister, Clement... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad Crime Boss Alleges Cops, Ambulance Involved in Gun Smuggling
12 September 2013
Trinidad and Tobago Express
The police continue to try to rid the streets of illegal firearms. But what happens when they are faced with gangsters bringing in high-tech weapons to perpetuate their life of murder and mayhem?
Can they be stopped? A crime boss along the East West corridor who has been in the business for over 20 years agreed to speak to us about his gun-running operations, why the gang war will never end, crooked cops and other nefarious activities.
MARK BASSANT: So you are a... (GunPolicy.org)