Brasília – Supplementary funds of around US$7 million (R$20 million) were released yesterday through a "temporary measure" (medida provisória) to be used to "buy" firearms that people turn into authorities as part of the government's Disarmament Program. So far a total of 108,000 weapons have been turned in nationwide, outstripping expectations which were that 80,000 would be turned in by December. Thus, the need for additional funding.

When the program was launched on September 2, minister of Justice, Marcio Thomaz Bastos, declared that the government was ready to do whatever was necessary to disarm the country. "We hope this will be a snowball and just keep growing. As long as there are guns in Brazil we will go after them," said the minster.

Agência Brasil
Repórter: Luciana Vasconcelos
Translator: Allen Bennett
09/29/2004