Church in the World

Gun vote disappoints Brazilian bishops

Americas

BRAZIL?S CHURCH leaders were disappointed by the results of a referendum on gun control in the country last week. The public voted overwhelmingly not to ban the sale of guns in a nation where half a million people have been killed by firearms since 1980.

The National Conference of the Brazilian Bishops (CNBB), which supported the campaign for the ban, said the ?No? operation was extremely effective. ?They appealed to people?s love of freedom and exploited the lack of trust in the Government?s security policy,? Bishop Odilo Pedro Scherer, an auxiliary in Sao Paulo and general secretary of the CNBB, told The Tablet this week. He also claimed that the ?No? campaign, which attracted 64 per cent of the vote, made people believe that a vote in favour of the ban would compromise their right to defend themselves, while at the same time encouraging the idea that having a gun would guarantee protection.

The proposed ban was supported by the Government and the United Nations, whose figures demonstrate that gun crime is the main cause of death among young Brazilians. However, although the ?Yes? campaign initially seemed certain to win, the ?No? campaign successfully argued that a ban would be no deterrent to criminals, who acquire guns illegally rather than in weapons stores.

Despite failing to mobilise the people to vote for a ban on guns, Bishop Odilo said the Church would continue to support campaigns and social projects to develop a peaceful, non-violent culture in Brazil.
Roberta Nunes Andriao, Vit?ria