The move comes as tensions remain high in the South American country after the most fraught election in a generation,in which leftist Lula narrowly defeated far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro supporters have been camping outside army barracks,urging the military to stage a coup. The Brasilia camp,outside the army headquarters,has become one of the most extreme.
On December 12,the day Lula’s victory was certified,some of the camp dwellersattacked the federal police headquarters in Brasilia. On Saturday,a man was arrested for attempting to set off a bomb in protest of the election results and said Bolsonaro’s call to arms inspired him to build up an arsenal.
Bolsonaro campaigned against crime before his election,and as president signed decrees to relax gun ownership laws in 2019,saying that armed citizens could better protect themselves. The number of registered gun owners in Brazil has surged six-fold to around 700,000 people since then.
The gun ban measure will be in place from Wednesday evening (Thursday AEDT) until January 2,the day after Lula’s inauguration,according to Moraes’ decision,which was reviewed by Reuters.
Moraes said in his decision that anyone caught breaking the ban should be arrested. The prohibition does not affect members of security forces and employees of private security firms.