Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella Revokes Gun Carry Restrictions

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has signed a decree revoking a long standing restriction on the carrying of firearms. The measure suspends Decree 1.482, which had prohibited the carrying of weapons outside authorized locations for one year. This restriction had been renewed by successive administrations since 2015, starting with Juan Manuel Santos and continuing through Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro. Under the new decree, the right to carry a firearm is limited to the specific weapons and conditions established in the respective authorization.

President Espriella, who took office over a month ago after winning the June elections, argued that previous rules failed to stop criminals from accessing illegal weapons and that citizens have a right to defend themselves. He supported his decision on X with footage of robberies and data stating that of 15,700 firearms seized by public forces between January 1 and September 3, 14,179 were linked to crimes.

Critics of the move have raised concerns about public safety and state responsibility. Francisco Bernate, a criminal lawyer and professor at the University of Rosario, argued that allowing more civilians to carry weapons suggests the state is admitting its failure to guarantee protection. He compared the potential outcome to the Wild West, suggesting it encourages a culture of taking justice into one's own hands. Similarly, former Bogotá Security Secretary Hugo Acero stated that while previous restrictions may not have been working, revoking them increases the risks of both legal and illegal gun ownership.

Reports from a center leaning source provide broader context by comparing the move to the policies of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. That source notes that while Bolsonaro also flexibilized gun rules, a study by the Instituto Sou da Paz suggested the move did not positively impact public security and instead modernized the arsenal used by criminals in Brazil's Southeast region.