Brazil apparently has some sort of crime problem, and based on their recent actions, things are only going to get much worse.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a sweeping gun-control law Monday in an effort to rein in what he called "an epidemic of murder by firearms."

Under the so-called disarmament statute passed Dec. 9 by Congress, only the armed forces, police, prison guards and private security personnel can possess firearms in Brazil. [...]

Exceptions to the no-guns rule can be made as long as an individual is at least 25 years old and can prove he needs a weapon "because his physical integrity is in danger," according to the new law.

So if you're a regular Joe living in crime ridden Brazil, you're fucked. According to the police, if you have a firearm with which to protect yourself, you are no better than a common street thug and deserve to go to jail. Unless you are one of the political elite, or you can afford to hire private security or bribe a local official into giving you a gun permit, you are pretty much at the mercy of the common criminals. I'm sure they appreciate the government disarming their victims.