Brazilian Judge Moraes revoked Bolsonaro's gun licenses and ordered the seizure of all weapons

Brazilian Federal Supreme Court (STF) member Alexandre de Moraes has issued a decision revoking former President Jair Bolsonaro's gun carry license and CAC (Collector, Sports Shooter, and Hunter) certificate. Published on Friday, this ruling mandates the immediate seizure of all weapons registered in Bolsonaro's name and the invalidation of these permits. The court emphasized that these measures were taken in line with the former president's current legal status and public security concerns.

The relevant decision emerged as a provision within the same detention ruling that extended the duration of Bolsonaro's house arrest. Previously, Moraes had placed the former president under supervision during a process where he was tried for charges including attempting to destroy the democratic order and forming a criminal organization as part of investigations against Bolsonaro. This new sanction on weapons stems from the reasoning that the existence of a pistol registered in Bolsonaro's name or his continued access to such weapons is incompatible with the current sentence enforcement regime.

In his decision on the matter, Judge Moraes ruled that despite the former president's compliance with house arrest conditions, his permits to possess and carry weapons clearly contradict this situation. The ruling stated that it is legally and socially questionable for an individual under sentence enforcement, especially regarding a case with the potential to influence the proceedings, to maintain control over firearms. This revocation decision aims to completely strip Bolsonaro of his legal authority regarding gun ownership while the lawsuits brought by Silva continue.

With this decision, the Brazilian federal police or relevant law enforcement forces have been tasked with seizing all weapons that are in the former president's possession or control and whose licenses have been revoked. This situation completely alters the legal status of Bolsonaro's weapons, eliminating any right to carry or possess them. Moraes argued that this move is not merely a security measure but also a necessary step to preserve the integrity of the ongoing criminal justice process.

This decision regarding Jair Bolsonaro, a former President who still plays an active role in politics, highlights the legal dimension of the political tensions in the country. The High Court's tough stance demonstrates how severe the line pursued by the judiciary in Brazil is against political figures and especially former administrators. The revocation of gun licenses and the seizure decision constitute a new obstacle in Bolsonaro's legal struggle and are interpreted as a development emphasizing the supremacy of the Brazilian legal system.