Colombia’s new president loosens gun control rules

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella recently signed a decree that relaxes rules governing the carrying of legal firearms in public. During his presidential campaign, de la Espriella had pledged an aggressive stance against crime, yet he now claims this new decree is necessary to address the issue of criminals having easy access to firearms while law-abiding citizens are unable to defend themselves.

He argues that the suspension of the decade-long restriction on public firearm carrying, which was initially implemented by former President Juan Manuel Santos in 2015, was not intended to be permanent.

The decree lifts the temporary suspension and allows permit holders to carry their legally registered firearms outside their homes, as long as their permits remain valid. Almost 700,000 individuals who currently possess a legal permit to carry a gun in Colombia will now be able to do so, according to Spanish newspaper El País. Green Alliance Party Senator Ariel Ávila criticized the decision, warning that it could lead to firearms falling into the wrong hands and creating an ethical dilemma, as only state forces should bear arms and guarantee public safety.

De la Espriella maintains that the measure will not compromise national security and has highlighted the efforts made by law enforcement agencies to target and seize illegal firearms. So far this year, over 15,000 firearms have been seized, primarily from breakaway factions of the Farc rebel group and the Gulf Clan criminal gang.