Curitiba – The original target was to collect 80,000 weapons by the end of the year. But the response has been much greater than expected and minister of Justice, Marcio Thomaz Bastos, reports that already the country's Disarmament Campaign has collected 120,000 weapons. "We have raised our sights and now think we can collect 200,000 by December," said the minister.

Bastos is in the state of Paraná, South region, to launch a Disarmament Campaign Caravan that will travel around the country. Paraná will kick off the caravan because it was the first state to officially join the disarmament campaign at the beginning of the year. The state collected 20,000 weapons in six months.

The objective of the caravan is to make people aware of the importance of turning in weapons to the police. Bastos reports that as of now churches, radio stations and health centers will also be receiving weapons because some people are afraid of going to the police.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Lúcia Nórcio
Translator: Allen Bennett
10/8/2004