Colombia's right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella relaxed 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 US military support.
On the campaign trail he 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 murdered during more than six decades of conflict.
The president said he had issued a decree ending a decade-old ban on people 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 said that the current restrictions on purchasing weapons would continue to apply, 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 on gun ownership came hours before a planned visit to Colombia by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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