Brazil to Carry out Biggest Arms Destruction in World

The biggest arms destruction in the world will take place in Brazil on Sunday when some 115,000 weapons will be destroyed by Brazilian troops, official sources said Friday.

The 11th Army Region will destroy 600 pieces of arms in front of the Brazilian National Congress building and obliterate the rest in different military bases around the country, Brazil's Ministry of Defense said.

Walter Merling, president of the Brazilian Arms-Collector Association, has examined carefully part of the material to identify arms with historical value.

Merling noted that among the guns to be destroyed are Le Faucheaux 1858 guns, which were used in the 1864 war with Paraguay, the 1930 Revolution and the two World Wars. Some of them are valued at US$2 million.

"All in all, there are 800 different models to be destroyed, including arms that date back to the 18th century, which would allow the creation of a new museum," he said.






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