The right to self-defense must be recognized, first and foremost, as a natural right—something that does not arise from the State, but is born with each human being. It is intrinsically tied to the very condition of life: the instinct and ability to preserve oneself and protect those under one’s care. For this reason, the freedom to defend oneself and one’s loved ones cannot be negotiated, restricted, or altered by politicians, laws, or constitutions. It is far too fundamental a principle to be subject to political whims or the moods of power.
To illustrate, imagine something as basic as your own breathing. Now imagine if the government decided to tax air or regulate when and how you could breathe. It would seem absurd, right? Precisely because breathing is essential to life—it is a natural, non-negotiable, inviolable right. The same applies to the right to self-defense: it remains invisible until the moment it becomes vital defesa.org.
Even in one of the most violent countries in the world, like Brazil, many live under the illusion of constant safety. That happens because, for most of one’s life, you may never need to defend yourself physically. But when chaos strikes—and it does—a disarmed citizen is left to fend for themselves. It is precisely at that moment that the right to carry and use a firearm shifts from theory to the thin line between life and death defesa.org.
History is full of examples where entire populations were saved—or destroyed—by their capability or incapacity to defend themselves. The Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe were systematically disarmed before persecution and genocide began. In contrast, Polish insurgents during the Warsaw Uprising attempted to resist oppression with arms, even when outgunned. In the United States, the right to bear arms was enshrined precisely because of historical experiences with tyranny and war—a context that gave rise to the Second Amendment defesa.org.
And even outside of wars, ordinary citizens save lives on a daily basis thanks to access to firearms. In São Paulo, Brazil, Eliseu Bispo dos Santos saved himself and his wife from a robbery in 2022 using his legally registered weapon. In Texas, Rachel Ryker prevented an attack on a school by acting swiftly and precisely, protecting dozens of children. These are not myths—they are real lives saved thanks to the freedom to access firearms defesa.org.
The freedom to access firearms is a practical and tangible extension of self-defense. As such, it must be present at its most critical moment. You may not realize it every day, but the moment your life—or that of your loved ones—is at risk, this right becomes as essential as the air you breathe .
To deny a citizen the right to defend themselves is to condemn them to victimhood. It strips them of the power to protect the most precious good they possess: their own life
