Full Breakdown
President De la Espriella Lifts Decade-Long Suspension on Gun-Carrying Permits in Colombia
9/9/2026, 8:51:03 PM
Lifting the General Suspension (Core Event)
On September 8, 2026, President Abelardo de la Espriella signed Decree 1368 of 2026, repealing the nationwide suspension that had barred holders of legal firearm-carrying permits from taking their weapons outside the home since December 23, 2015. The decree takes effect on September 9, 2026, the day after its publication in the *Diario Oficial*. It restores the validity of individual permits that remain current and unrevoked, while explicitly preserving existing licensing requirements, restrictions and controls established under Decree Law 2535 of 1993.
Historical Background
The suspension originated with President Juan Manuel Santos, who issued Decree 2515 on December 23, 2015 to curb violence during the Christmas-New Year period. Santos later expanded the measure through Decree 155 on February 1, 2016, extending it through December 31, 2016. Subsequent administrations—President Iván Duque (2018-2022) and President Gustavo Petro (2022-2026)—renewed the suspension annually, most recently via Decree 1482 on December 31, 2025, which set an expiration for December 31, 2026. The 2026 decree therefore ends a policy that lasted nearly a decade.
Key Figures
- Abelardo de la Espriella – President of Colombia, author of Decree 1368.
- Ariel Ávila – Green Alliance Party Senator, critic of the decree.
- Gustavo Petro – Former President, expressed opposition on social media.
- Fabio Humar – Attorney who explained the legal distinction between possession and carrying.
- Juan Manuel Santos – Former President, whose 2015 decree initiated the suspension.
Data and Seizure Statistics
President de la Espriella cited security-force results covering January 1 through September 3, 2026:
- 15,700 firearms seized.
- 14,179 linked to the commission of crimes.
- 980 tied to criminal organizations, broken down as 551 to the Clan del Golfo, 339 to the National Liberation Army (ELN), and the remainder to dissident factions.
- Among the weapons linked to dissidents were 380 rifles and 65 60-mm mortars.
According to *El País*, the repeal will affect almost 700,000 Colombians who already hold valid permits.
Official Statements & Responses
He emphasized that the measure does not create “new rights” or permit “indiscriminate carrying.” The decree also reiterates the state’s constitutional monopoly over weapons under Article 223 of the Constitution.
Former President Santos’ earlier comment—“Colombians deserve a calm and safe Christmas and New Year”—illustrates the original public-security rationale for the 2015 suspension.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I signed the decree that lifts the general suspension of permits to carry firearms in Colombia,” — De La Espriella, president
- “What ends is the general suspension that turned prohibition into the rule,” — De La Espriella. He, the president
- “Colombians deserve a calm and safe Christmas and New Year,” — Juan Manuel Santos
