Brazil gun buyback program to become permanent

[Judi Lynn]

Brazil gun buyback program to become permanent
The Associated Press September 28, 2010, 4:08PM ET

Brazil's Justice Ministry has made its gun buyback campaign a permanent program to reduce the number of homicides committed in Latin America's largest country.

Justice Minister Luiz Paulo Barreto says Brazilians will be able to turn in their firearms at any time of the year and not just during specific campaigns as those held in 2003 and 2009.

The ministry's website says that close to 1.1 million firearms were turned in during those two campaigns, helping reduce the number of homicides in Brazil by 11 percent.

Barreto says the government will pay for the weapons received and no questions will be asked. How much will be paid for each weapon has not been determined.

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