Brazil Rejects Gun Ban

Just a couple months ago, anti-gun forces in Brazil looked like sure winners in this weekend's national referendum proposing to ban guns. BBC reports:

With 90% of the votes counted, 64% rejected the ban and only 36% wanted firearm sales to the public outlawed.

The proposal to ban gun sales was backed by the government and the United Nations (natch!), in a country where there were 36,000 gun-related deaths last year.

The "No" camp made a late surge, saying a ban would leave Brazilians defenceless against armed criminals.