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Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella eased gun carry laws on Tuesday, saying he wanted to help ordinary citizens defend themselves from "bandits armed to the teeth."
De la Espriella, who took office last month, has declared war on Colombia's myriad drug trafficking guerrilla groups, with backing from the U.S. military.
On the campaign trail, he had promised to loosen Colombia's laws on guns, despite warnings it could worsen violence in a country where at least a million people have been killed during more than six decades of conflict.
The president said he issued a decree ending a decade-old ban on carrying firearms in public places.
"There's no justification for criminals being armed to the teeth while innocent people cannot defend themselves," he said in a video posted on X.
He added that the current restrictions on purchasing weapons would remain in place, with owners required to meet "physical, psychological, and emotional conditions." But rifles, handguns, and ammunition are widely available on the black market.
De la Espriella's announcement came hours before a planned visit to Colombia by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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