The government presents armed self-defence as a response to criminal violence.
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA
Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella has lifted the nationwide suspension on permits to carry firearms, reversing a restriction maintained by successive governments since 2015. Decree 1368 restores the validity of active permits for people who have no individual prohibition, revocation or judicial restriction. The measure could affect approximately 700,000 permit holders and fulfils one of De la Espriella’s central campaign promises.
The decision does not establish unrestricted access to firearms. Applicants must continue to undergo physical and psychological evaluations, demonstrate the need to carry a weapon, possess no disqualifying criminal record and complete the authorization process before the military authorities responsible for controlling arms, ammunition and explosives. Expired permits will not be automatically renewed, while local and national authorities retain the power to impose temporary restrictions during elections, demonstrations or other high-risk events.
De la Espriella argues that law-abiding citizens should be able to defend themselves in a country affected by organized crime, armed groups, kidnapping and extortion. His administration maintains that illegal weapons, rather than legally registered firearms, are responsible for most violent crime. The policy reflects a broader change in Colombia’s security strategy, moving away from the restrictive approach adopted by former presidents Juan Manuel Santos, Iván Duque and Gustavo Petro.
Critics warn that increasing the number of weapons carried in public could intensify domestic disputes, interpersonal conflicts, accidental shootings and confrontations that might otherwise remain non-lethal. They also question whether psychological examinations and administrative controls can adequately identify future risks. Colombia must now determine whether the measure strengthens individual protection or transfers part of the state’s security responsibility to armed civilians.
The consequences will depend not only on how many permits are restored, but on the quality of screening, traceability, enforcement and investigation surrounding every legally carried weapon. In a society already marked by political violence and illegal armed structures, the boundary between self-defence and escalation may prove difficult to preserve.
Security requires protection without turning fear into permission.