Colombian President Lifts Decade-Long Gun-Carrying Restrictions

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has signed a decree lifting restrictions on the public carrying of legally owned firearms, allowing citizens with valid permits to carry their registered weapons outside their homes without additional authorisation.

The measure fulfils a campaign promise by de la Espriella, who argued that law-abiding citizens should be able to defend themselves while security forces continue to confront armed criminals.

The president stressed that the decree did not amount to unrestricted access to firearms, saying existing requirements governing legal ownership and permits would remain in place.

The restriction was introduced in December 2015 by then-President Juan Manuel Santos as a temporary security measure during the Christmas and New Year period. It was subsequently renewed by successive administrations, including those of Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro.

Under the previous arrangement, people with valid firearm-carry permits were still prohibited from taking their weapons outside their homes unless they obtained additional authorisation.

The new policy could affect nearly 700,000 Colombians who already hold valid permits to carry legally registered firearms.

The decision has attracted criticism from some political figures. Green Alliance Senator Ariel Ávila described the policy as a serious mistake, warning that legally owned firearms could eventually fall into criminal hands.

De la Espriella rejected the concerns, arguing that security forces would continue targeting illegal firearms. He said authorities had seized more than 15,000 illegal firearms so far this year, many reportedly linked to armed groups including breakaway factions of the Farc and the Gulf Clan.

The president maintained that the policy would preserve controls on legal firearm ownership while giving authorised citizens greater ability to defend themselves.