For the first time in more than ten years, Colombians who have concealed carry permits will actually be able to bear arms in self-defense, after President Abelardo de la Espriella signed a decree that ends the long-running suspension of all carry permits in the country.
That suspension was put in place by former president Juan Manuel Santos, who issued a decree to that effect in December 2015. The first suspension was supposed to last for a little more than a month, but was subsequently extended and kept in place for more than a decade.
In announcing that the carry ban is coming to an end, de la Espriella noted that it had no effect on criminals. Instead, the burden fell on lawful gun owners. Unfortunately, given the country’s rather restrictive gun laws, those residents are still facing some real hurdles when it comes to bearing arms for self-defense.
On this point, De la Espriella recalled that the requirements established by law to obtain a permit remain in effect and that controls will continue to be strict.
Among the requirements is having a valid permit issued by a military authority and ensuring that the firearm to be carried is specifically covered by that permit. In other words, the authorization does not generally allow the carrying of any firearm.
Applicants must also be at least 25 years old and have no criminal record. In addition, they must demonstrate adequate physical, psychological, and emotional fitness through a medical certificate and a psychophysical fitness assessment.
Another requirement is demonstrating theoretical knowledge of the handling and use of firearms. Thus, authorization depends both on the applicant’s personal characteristics and background and on their ability to handle the firearm properly.
This is basically California-style licensing laws on steroids. The cost to apply for a gun permit in Colombia is more than $400, and given that the per capita income for the country is only around $8,500, that’s a significant amount of money to fork over just to be able to protect yourself in public.
There is no right to keep and bear arms in Colombian law. In fact, the carrying of firearms was first allowed via a presidential decree back in the early 1990s, and there’s nothing stopping de la Espriella or future presidents from re-imposing a ban if they want.
That seems unlikely under the de la Espriella administration. In fact, he ran for office vowing to end the suspension of carry permits, so he’s actually fulfilling a campaign promise.
“There is no reason for criminals to be armed to the teeth while decent people cannot defend themselves,” the president said in defending the decision. At the same time, he stressed that the controls established by the authorities remain in place.
“Strict controls, requirements, and permits from the competent authorities remain in place,” the president said. He summarized the scope of the decision with a phrase intended to distinguish the new situation from a liberalization of gun carrying: “What ends is the general suspension that turned the prohibition into the rule.”
This is a big step forward for Colombia, but there’s more work to be done if the average Colombian can carry in self-defense. Lowering the age to apply for a license, ending the requirements for medical certificates and fitness assessments, and reducing the cost of an application are the next logical steps for de la Espriella to take, but whether he’s willing to go any further remains to be seen.
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