Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro defended his administration’s record protecting the Amazon rainforest, telling the United Nations’ virtual meeting of global leaders on Tuesday that his country has been wrongly portrayed as an environmental villain. Bolsonaro’s critics were quick to pick apart his claims.

He said it is the president’s right to replace the federal police’s chief. “I don’t have to ask anyone’s permission,” Bolsonaro said.

Brazil had 41,635 killings in 2019, down 19% from the prior year and the least number of homicides since 2007, when the so-called Violence Monitor index was launched.

Gun makers and military industry companies from all over the world gathered in Rio de Janeiro for Latin America’s largest defense and security fair Tuesday, hoping to benefit from Brazil’s new far-right administration and President Jair Bolsonaro’s vow to loosen gun laws.

Fearing for his safety amid rising crime in Latin America’s largest nation, Paulo Alberto joined a gun club three years ago and learned to shoot.

Rising homicide rates are damaging Brazil’s economy and leading to skyrocketing public security costs.