Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella signed Decree 1368 on September 8, 2026, ending the country’s nationwide suspension of firearm carry permits and restoring the effectiveness of qualifying permits already issued to private citizens.
Here is a translation from the article in eltiempo.com:
“’For years, the law-abiding citizen was restricted while criminals kept arming themselves illegally to the teeth. That has to change,’ the head of state said in a video on social media, emphasizing that the measure, which expressly repeals the restrictions established since 2018 and extended until the end of 2025 , does not translate into unrestricted authorization or indiscriminate carrying, but rather the end of the generalized prohibition.”
What Colombia’s New Gun Decree Changes
Colombia had the right to possess arms and ammunition, and to buy and sell them in times of peace, from 1863 to 1886. The Constitution of 1886, Article 48, reversed the default of freedom in commerce during time of peace. It restricted carry in towns without a permit. The Government was granted a monopoly on the import, manufacture and ownership of arms and munitions of war. Outside towns, ownership, sporting use, and self-defense carry were presumed, but not protected.
From 1927 to 1938 there were several decrees which formalized regulation of ownership and carry permits. The executive decrees have often been given by presidents. Presidents were given authority to issue the decrees by the legislature.
Colombia has had seven Constitutions since 1821. The country has had considerable discontent and widespread violence over several decades. The trend has been toward more restrictions on ownership and carry.
Colombia Still Has a Restrictive “May-Issue” System
The current decree only repeals the suspension of the legal carry of concealed weapons from 2018. The issuance of carry permits has not changed. Carry permits are issued at the discretion of the Ministry of Defense. A statement of why the weapon is needed is required. It is a “may issue” system. The minimum age for the permit is 25 years old. Officers of any rank in active public-forces are exempted. Non-Commissioned officers and career soldiers may obtain permits to carry with the permission of their commander.
The decree is more of a statement of political philosophy than a radical change in the law. All the discretion and limitations remain in place. It is not a shall issue system. In political philosophy, the decree is a statement that trusted armed people can add to the security of the government instead of subtract from it. This is a fairly common acceptance. In the old early Soviet Union, party members were given individual weapons. Later, they were required to be turned in. Most governments around the world do not trust their people with weapons, unless those weapons are closely regulated and tracked by the government. May issue permits offer considerable space for bribery and corruption.
The United States is a rare exceptional government which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms, and upholds the right through judicial power. The restoration of the right has been a struggle which is still playing out in the courts. It has been won in the court of public opinion.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
