In this episode of the series Mapping the Transnational Circulation and Control of Small Arms in Latin America, Jennifer Thornquest speaks with Natália Pollachi, Project Director at Instituto Sou da Paz, about the rise of military-style firearms in Brazil. Drawing on the recent study Blind Fire, the conversation examines firearm seizure data from 2019 to 2023, highlighting data gaps, regulatory shifts, and the growing presence of assault rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns in criminal markets. Pollachi explains why Brazil is a critical case for understanding how legal frameworks, international supply chains, and domestic governance shape patterns of armed violence.
Why does Brazil matter in regional debates on arms control and public security?
What happens when regulatory changes expand legal access to firearms without adequate oversight?
In this episode, Thornquest and Pollachi explore the challenges of researching military-style firearms in Brazil, including fragmented data systems and limited transparency. They discuss why focusing on these weapons is essential for understanding shifts in criminal power, territorial control, and violence.
The conversation traces national trends in the origins and circulation of firearms, examines differences between rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns, and assesses the effects of deregulation during the Bolsonaro administration on both legal and illicit markets. Pollachi also reflects on the international dimension of the problem, including the role of cross-border flows and regulatory gaps, and looks ahead to what Brazil’s evolving political and regulatory landscape means for policymakers, researchers, and international partners.
This episode is part two of a SNIS-funded research project on on the transnational circulation and control of small arms in Latin America.
🔗 Learn more about the project: https://armflowslatam.net/
🔗 Learn more about Instituto Sou da Paz website: www.soudapaz.org
🔗 Learn more about the Small Arms Survey: https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/
About the People
Guest: Natália Pollachi
Natália Pollachi is the Project Director of the Brazilian NGO Instituto Sou da Paz, where she has worked since 2013 to promote improved public security practices, particularly on arms control and police activity. Her work focuses on the lifecycle, origin, and effects of small arms and ammunition on human security, combining research, public policy development, advocacy, and pilot projects with police institutions. She holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of São Paulo (USP) and has twice been listed as a “Forces of Change” by UNLIREC.
Contact: natalia@soudapaz.org
Host and Producer: Jennifer Thornquest
Jennifer (Gigi) Thornquest is a researcher and lead strategic communications professional at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) at the Geneva Graduate Institute, where she also produces the CCDP Spotlight podcast. Her research explores participatory arts as a form of peacebuilding, with particular attention to the intersections of migration, education, and community resilience.
Contact: jennifer.thornquest@graduateinstitute.ch
Production Credits
The CCDP Spotlight Podcast is produced by the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP).
🔗 Learn more about CCDP: https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/ccdp