On Friday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed into law a bill allowing women to carry pepper spray for self-defense.
The new law, approved by Parliament and published in the Official Gazette, authorizes the sale, purchase, and possession of aerosols made from plant extracts for the purpose of women’s self-defense.
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The device is strictly intended for the temporary restraint of an aggressor to repel a current or imminent attack against the physical or sexual integrity of the user. Women over 18 years of age who have not been criminally convicted of intentional crimes committed with violence or serious threats will be eligible to purchase it.
To purchase it, it will be mandatory to present an official photo ID and proof of permanent residence.
The legislation emphasizes that the spray will be for individual and non-transferable use and prohibits it from containing substances with a lethal effect or permanent toxicity. The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) will be responsible for defining the technical specifications, capacity limits, and concentration of the active substance.
Brasil registró en 2025 su menor tasa de muertes violentas intencionales en 14 años, según datos publicados este jueves por una ONG especializada en seguridad, un avance opacado por récords en letalidad policial y feminicidios.https://t.co/OUO9uBI0iz
— La Jornada (@lajornadaonline) July 23, 2026
The text reads, “Brazil recorded in 2025 its lowest rate of intentional violent deaths in 14 years, according to data published this Thursday by an NGO specialized in security, an advance overshadowed by records in police lethality and femicides.”
Likewise, authorized retailers must maintain a sales record with the buyers’ information to track the product and provide guidance for safe use.
The entry into force of this law comes one day after the release of the twentieth Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, which recorded a record 1,571 femicides in 2025, representing a 4% increase compared to 2024.
According to the Brazilian Public Security Forum, in 96.4% of the cases, the perpetrators were men. The report details that six out of ten femicides were committed by romantic partners; nearly 20% by ex-partners; and 12% by a family member.
#Brazil | President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called Donald Trump’s proposed 20% transit fee on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz “piracy.”
Lula also criticized Washington’s stance on Iran, warning that geopolitical conflicts ultimately increase the cost of food and other basic… pic.twitter.com/AYF2dE35Nn— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 14, 2026
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