In Colombia, a new law requires citizens to carry weapons wherever they go

In Colombia, a new law signed by President Abelardo de la Espriella now allows citizens to carry their legally owned firearms wherever they go.

The new law fulfills a campaign promise to adopt a tougher approach to crime.

According to the BBC on Wednesday, the new decree allows Colombians who have a valid permit to carry a registered firearm to carry their weapons outside the home without obtaining additional permits.

Defending the action, De la Espriella said law-abiding citizens should not be prevented from defending themselves while criminals continue to carry illegal weapons.

“It is not right that criminals are heavily armed while good people cannot defend themselves,” the president said.

But he stressed that the decision does not mean unlimited access to firearms, and emphasized that regulations governing the legal ownership of firearms will remain in effect.

In signing the decree, De la Espriella said it fulfills a promise he made during the presidential campaign.

“A person’s word is his honor, and I have honor, that’s why I keep my word,” he said.

These restrictions were imposed in December 2015 by then-President Juan Manuel Santos as a temporary security measure over the Christmas and New Year period.

This agreement was then renewed annually by Santos and his successors, Ivan Duque and Gustavo Petro, despite their different political orientations.

Under previous arrangements, even firearms owners with valid carrying permits were prohibited from carrying their guns outside the home unless they obtained additional permits from the government.

Reports cited by Spanish newspaper El País suggest that the policy change could impact nearly 700,000 Colombians who already have valid firearms permits.

They will now be allowed to carry their registered firearms outside the home as long as their permits are valid.

Green Alliance Party Senator Ariel Ávila described the move as a “huge mistake”, warning that legally owned firearms could eventually fall into the hands of criminals.

Ávila also questioned the principle of allowing civilians to carry firearms, arguing that the state must remain responsible for ensuring the security of citizens.

De la Espriella dismissed concerns that the policy could exacerbate insecurity, and said security forces continued to crack down on illegal firearms.

He said authorities had seized more than 15,000 illegal firearms so far this year, many of which he said were linked to breakaway factions of the Farc rebel group and the Gulf Clan criminal organization.

The President emphasized that this new policy will maintain existing controls on legal firearms ownership while providing authorized citizens with greater capacity to defend themselves.