Colombia's new president loosens gun control rules

What the report says

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has signed a decree easing rules on carrying legally owned firearms in public, ending a suspension that had been in place for 10 years. The change applies to people who already hold permits, who will again be allowed to take registered guns outside their homes if their authorisations remain current.

The BBC reports that de la Espriella framed the move as part of his campaign pledge to take a harder line on crime. He argued that law-abiding citizens should not be left unable to defend themselves while armed criminals continue to operate. At the same time, he said the decree would not remove existing controls on gun ownership and would not amount to an unrestricted expansion of firearm access.

The restriction was introduced in 2015 under then-president Juan Manuel Santos as a temporary security measure during the Christmas and New Year period, but it was extended each year by later governments, including those led by Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro. According to the BBC, the policy change could affect nearly 700,000 permit holders. The move has drawn criticism from opposition voices, including Green Alliance senator Ariel Ávila, who warned that it could increase the risk of legal weapons reaching criminals. De la Espriella said his government is also focusing on illegal firearms and claimed security forces have seized more than 15,000 weapons this year.