Trump-Endorsed Latin American Leader Loosens Concealed Carry Restrictions

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella signed an order ending regulations that prohibited law-abiding citizens from carrying legally-owned firearms Tuesday.

De la Espriella, who narrowly defeated a left-wing opponent, Ivan Cepada, in the June 21 election, campaigned on cracking down on the country’s drug cartels and guerillas after President Donald Trump endorsed him on June 2. His decree, signed while Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visiting, reversed a ban set in place in 2015, the BBC reported. 

“A man’s word is his honor, and I have honor, that’s why I keep my word,” de la Espriella said as he signed the decree ending restrictions initially imposed by then-Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and renewed annually by Santos’ successors: Iván Duque, who leaned conservative and leftist Gustavo Petro.

“For years, law-abiding citizens were restricted while criminals continued to arm themselves illegally to the teeth. That has to change,” de la Espriella, who is a dual citizen of Colombia and the United States posted to social media.

The Colombian embassy in the United States and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment deefrom the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Civilian ownership is an exception, not a right, under Colombian law, which separates keeping a registered gun at a declared home or business from carrying it in public. Civilians may generally obtain only limited personal-defense, sporting or collection weapons—typically handguns no larger than .38 caliber, with short barrels and restricted magazine capacity, according to a 1993 decree.

Firearms permits are issued by military authorities under the Ministry of Defense and usually require Colombian citizenship, a clean record, a psychophysical certificate, a justified need, and proof of safe handling. Carry permits have commonly required a minimum age of 25. Illegal possession or carry is considered a serious crime.

“Colombia’s security cannot continue to be built by disarming the law-abiding citizen and leaving the bandits armed,” de la Espriella posted.