President Abelardo de la Espriella Lifts General Suspension on Gun Carrying Permits

President Abelardo de la Espriella has signed a decree lifting the general suspension of firearm carrying permits in Colombia. The measure derogates previous restrictions, including Decree 1482 of 2025, which had extended a suspension originally established in 2014. The government states that this decision does not establish a regime of free gun carrying. Instead, it restores the efficacy of individual permits that are currently valid and allows for the processing of new authorizations under existing legal requirements. All permits remain subject to strict controls, including age requirements and psychotechnical exams overseen by the Ministry of Defense.

Government spokesperson Miller Soto clarified that the state maintains its monopoly on weapons and explosives as per the constitution. He explained that the change allows those with valid permits issued by military authorities to exercise them without needing additional special authorizations. The administration argues that the previous general suspension was ineffective because criminals continued to arm themselves illegally. To support this, the government noted that of 15,700 firearms seized by public forces, 14,179 were linked to the commission of crimes.

Legal experts and security analysts noted that while the legal requirements for permits remain unchanged, the practical effect will be an increase in the number of armed individuals in public spaces. Hugo Acero, a former security secretary for Bogota, stated that the measure will allow people who previously left their authorized weapons at home to carry them again. He warned that this creates a challenge for police forces who must now distinguish between legal permit holders and criminals carrying illegal weapons.

Reporting on the event differed based on political lean. The center left framing focused on the government's justifications for the move and the official clarifications intended to calm political unrest. The center right framing emphasized expert legal analysis of the decree and the potential security risks associated with having more armed citizens on the street.