On April 1, President Guillermo Lasso revoked the decree issued by Rafael Correa (April 28, 2011) that prohibited civilians from carrying weapons. Correa’s measure was illegal. An Act of 1980 was in effect that allowed and allows civilian possession and use of weapons, subject to the approval of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Laso lifted the said ban and ordered that the Ministries of Defense and Interior, together with the National Secretariat for Public Security, update the regulations and the Arms Control Information System, within a maximum of 6 months. Finances must provide the Armed Forces and the National Police with money for technological systems and equipment for the control of weapons and explosives, tracking, marking, biometric and ballistic registration, records of the traceability of weapons and a “unified record of persons with a ban … carrying and possessing weapons (which) serves as a verification mechanism in arms control at the national level.”

According to the law, only persons suitable for training, unpunished, without permanent psychological damage and who prove emotional stability can be allowed to use weapons.

Undoubtedly, given the rush of common crime, this measure is insufficient to defend the citizen, but it represents a great deterrent message for criminals, who are afraid of weapons in the possession of potential victims or third parties who could defend them.

Obtaining an authorization to use a weapon for self-defense entails obtaining an AFIS certificate – Automated Fingerprint Identification System – which consists of collecting data from the applicant (multimodal identification elements, fingerprint, palm print, iris and face recognition). Includes height, photography, calligraphy. Data recorded and related to data on approved weapons. Each person’s AFIS goes into an international database, to check crime scene life and crimes. This ensures that anyone who misuses a permitted weapon can only be identified by obtaining an unloaded cartridge case.

This procedure will reduce the possibility of criminals seeking gun permits. Instead, honest citizens will be willing to comply.

The fear of counterfeiting or “buying” licenses has been somewhat overcome. Today, permits can be scanned with a mobile phone or digital reader to verify their authenticity and validity. Currently, it is very difficult to forge official documents. A gun license requires several documents with a guarantee of a serial number, as it does not depend on one department or official, and there are numerous police, civilian and military controls.

I agree that there are risks in owning and carrying a firearm, but we will have advantages on the other side of the coin. Deterring criminal potential is one of them. The sense of security of an armed citizen is something else. Today, there is no such deterrent, and there are even attackers who threaten with toy weapons. This is the self-confidence of criminals, cultivated by those who disarmed the honest civilian population 12 years ago. (OR)