The South American Experience

This report examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Southern Cone of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay). It analyzes how the transition from military rule to democracy, combined with regional economic integration, inadvertently facilitated the flow of weapons to criminal organizations. The document provides detailed case studies on the 'culture of violence' in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, highlighting the roles of drug trafficking, police corruption, and socio-economic instability in driving the demand for firearms.

• The transition to democracy and regional economic integration in the Southern Cone, particularly through Mercosur, inadvertently increased small arms proliferation. By liberalising economies and making military matériel redundant without destroying it, existing light weapons became available to "international criminal organisations, drug dealers and smuggling communities of the region."
• The 'Iguazú triangle'—the triple-border region of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay—serves as a major hub for illegal arms trafficking. The Brazilian government estimates that 80% of guns seized from mafias in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro entered Brazil illegally through the Paraguayan cities of Ciudad del Este and Pedro Juan Caballero.
• In Argentina, a 'new culture of violence' has emerged since the 1983 democratic transition, shifting from ideologically justified political violence to crime driven by socio-economic despair. This is evidenced by a 70% increase in arms sales to civilians and a rise in the use of 9 mm pistols over .22 calibre guns in Greater Buenos Aires.
• Drug trafficking is a primary driver of weapons proliferation in the region. In the Southern Cone, countries often serve as transit routes or emerging markets. In Brazil, the combination of drugs and firearms is linked to high mortality rates in conflicts between youths fighting for control of drug sales points.
• Police corruption is identified as a critical factor sustaining the culture of violence. In Greater Buenos Aires, mafia organisations have been found operating within police structures, and in Brazil, a significant portion of the population reports fearing the police more than criminals.
• In Rio de Janeiro, the prevalence of firearms in households is relatively low (4.5%), but the impact of illegal arms is severe. Approximately 82% of murders in Rio de Janeiro were committed with firearms according to 1993 Ministry of Health data, with men aged 15-19 being the most frequent victims.
• The report highlights a discrepancy in Brazilian firearms legislation: while the 1997 Act (SINARM) strictly limits civilian access to guns, it maintains special privileges for public officials (such as military police and judges) to purchase and carry weapons, even off duty.
• Argentina's National Register of Arms (RENAR) records 1.4 million legally registered guns. While the legislation is generally considered sound, critics argue that the lack of a central register for confiscated weapons allows some to re-enter illegal circulation.

APA

der Ghougassian, K., & Carneiro, L. P. (1998). The South American Experience. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono25.pdf

Chicago

der Ghougassian, Khatchik, and Leandro Piquet Carneiro. The South American Experience. Institute for Security Studies, 1998. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=der Ghougassian |first1=Khatchik |last2=Carneiro |first2=Leandro Piquet |title=The South American Experience |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=May 1998 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono25.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{derghougassian1998south, author = {der Ghougassian, Khatchik and Carneiro, Leandro Piquet}, title = {{The South American Experience}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {1998}, month = may, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }