- Adults in Brazil think capital punishment should be put into practice in their country, according to a poll by Datafolha published in Folha de Sao Paulo. 51 per cent of respondents would vote to reinstate the death penalty in a referendum, while 42 per cent would not.

The city of Sao Paulo has been affected in recent weeks by street violence and gang activity. In December 2003, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva presented his proposal to change the country's gun legislation, which set specific limitations for ordinary citizens to legally buy, sell or own firearms and ammunition. Lula said a Brazilian person dies every 12 minutes because of gun-related violence.

A referendum on a new gun law took place in October 2005. 64 per cent of Brazilians voted "No" on the question: "Should the commerce of guns and ammunition be prohibited in the entire national territory?" The new rule would not have affected law enforcement officers, security guards and registered hunters.

Lula will seek a new term as president in the Oct. 1 election. Lula's Worker's Party (PT) does not support capital punishment.

On Aug. 14, Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) candidate Geraldo Alckmin urged for tougher measures against criminals, saying, "We need to crack down on organized crime. Brazil has only harsh laws to deal with petty crimes."

The South American country abolished capital punishment in 1979, with the exception of crimes of treason committed in a time of war. Brazil ratified the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty in August 1996.

Polling Data

How would you vote in a referendum on whether Brazil should reinstate the death penalty?

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