Colombia’s new president loosens gun control rules

Wed Sep 09 2026 15:10:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

President Abelardo de la Espriella signs a decree easing restrictions on legal gun carriers amid debates over safety and rights.

President Abelardo de la Espriella of Colombia has signed a decree relaxing a decade‑old restriction that prevented licensed gun owners from carrying weapons in public. The move, aimed at allowing up to 700,000 legal gun holders to take their firearms outside their homes, follows promises to curb crime and restore citizens’ ability to defend themselves. Senator Ariel Ávila condemned the reform, warning that legal guns could fall into criminal hands, while the president insists security will remain tight and that police are actively confiscating illegal weapons. The decree removes a temporary suspension imposed in December 2015, extending through successive administrations.

Colombia’s new president loosened a long‑standing ban on carrying firearms in public.

Abelardo de la Espriella signed a decree that lifts a suspension imposed in 2015, allowing holders of a valid permit to take their guns outside their homes. The decree impacts roughly 700,000 licensed gun owners nationwide.

Former president Juan Manuel Santos first introduced the measure as a temporary safeguard during holiday festivities, but it was renewed yearly under successive leaders. De la Espriella said he was keeping a campaign promise to protect citizens from armed crime, arguing that “it is unfair for criminals to be armed while ordinary people cannot defend themselves.”

The president assured that the reform would not loosen gun ownership; regulations on buying, storing, and authorising a carry permit remain firm. He cited ongoing police operations that have confiscated more than 15,000 illegal firearms, many linked to factions of the far‑c rebel group and Gulf Clan.

Critics, notably Senator Ariel Ávila, called the decree a grave error. They worry that easing the ban could trickle legal firearms into the hands of criminals, undermining public safety and eroding the state’s monopoly on the use of force.