Firearm News
In Puerto Rico, Buying a Gun Is Now Easier Than Ever
26 June 2022
Global Press Journal
The Puerto Rico Weapons Act of 2020, which made legally obtaining and carrying a firearm much easier, is now over two years old — and Puerto Ricans are buying guns as never before. Nearly 100,000 gun licenses were issued in 2020 and 2021 in total, compared to around 1,200 in 2017.
[Chart in the original]
The Puerto Rico Weapons Act of 2020 was established to create a "new law that conforms to the current reality by seeking a balance between the constitutional right... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Venezuela,Haiti,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,Mexico,Belize,Colombia,El Salvador,Brazil,Puerto Rico,Guatemala,Pakistan,Panama,Costa Rica,Nicaragua,Uruguay,Dominican Republic,Peru,Ecuador,Paraguay,Argentina,Chile,Bolivia
InSight Crime's 2020 Homicide Round-Up
29 January 2021
InSight Crime
While unrest gripped much of Latin America in 2019, it was the coronavirus that took center stage and ripped through the region in 2020, upending everything from commercial trade to the operations of local gangs and transnational criminal organizations.
It's too early to tell with any degree of certainty how exactly the pandemic may have impacted levels of violence, but there were notable developments, including significant reductions in El Salvador, Guatemala,... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Honduras,Trinidad & Tobago,El Salvador,Belize,Mexico,Colombia,Guatemala,Puerto Rico,Brazil,Panama,Costa Rica,Uruguay,Dominican Republic,Peru,Nicaragua,Ecuador,Argentina,Chile,Bolivia,Paraguay
InSight Crime's 2019 Homicide Round-Up
28 January 2020
InSight Crime
Unrest gripped much of Latin America and the Caribbean throughout 2019. From record violence in Mexico that recalled the darkest days of the drug war, to increased fighting among armed groups in Colombia vying for control in the absence of the FARC and a rise in massacres in Honduras, the region was again one of the world's most homicidal last year.
In its annual Homicide Round-Up, InSight Crime looks into the country-by-country murder rates and the factors... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Reaffirms the Constitutionality of Its Gun Law [ES]
1 November 2016
Primera Hora (Puerto Rico)
[Translated summary: The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico reaffirmed the constitutionality of the Firearms Law. Last year, a judge intended to declare as unconstitutional the articles related to licensing, in an attempt to eliminate background checks and lower the minimum age to own firearms. The Secretary of Justice explained that eliminating these articles would have allowed anyone to own firearms indiscriminately.]
El Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico reiteró ayer la... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Licensing Soars 71% in Puerto Rico [ES]
9 October 2016
El Nuevo Dia (Puerto Rico)
[Translated summary: In Puerto Rico, there are 210,438 registered firearms among civilians and another 15,628 in gun shops. Ownership licences increased 70.9% between 2011 and 2015 while concealed carry licences rose 18.7%. Police also observe that firearm possession incremented among women, with 747 licences in 2011 and 1,980 en 2015.]
Se reporta un incremento en la expedición de licencias y permisos de portación, así como en el valor de las importaciones de este... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Puerto Rico,Caribbean
Florida a 'Massive' Gun-Smuggling Gateway to North, Caribbean
18 July 2016
News 4 Jax (USA)
JACKSONVILLE -- Across the state of Florida, Jacksonville had the most guns recovered last year that were tied to crimes -- more than 4,000 in 2014 and 2015 combined, the News4Jax I-TEAM learned.
Why here? The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives points to our open highways with access to JaxPort. Those interstates include I-10, even I-75, and the big one, I-95.
In fact, I-95 is so notorious for gun trafficking, it's called the "Iron Pipeline." Guns... (GunPolicy.org)
18 November 2015
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (Puerto Rico)
Gun laws in Puerto Rico regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. As Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, many U.S. federal laws apply, as well as Constitutional rulings and protections. (1) (2)
Summary Table
Subject/Law? Long guns - Handguns - (Notes)
Permit to purchase? No - No - (Firearms purchases are subject to the requirements of US Federal law)
Firearm registration? No - No
Assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Guam,United States,Puerto Rico
15 July 2015
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
The timing of a recent court ruling from the Commonwealth Court of Puerto Rico could not be better, and may well set in motion a significant ripple effect in other U.S. Island jurisdictions, namely Guam and Hawaii.
The Puerto Rican court recently handed down a ruling on a class action lawsuit that was brought by the Ladies of the Second Amendment, or LSA, with 850 individual plaintiffs. The court ruling, confirmed by the Second Amendment Foundation, or SAF, was a... (GunPolicy.org)
19 June 2015
Second Amendment Foundation News (Washington)
BELLEVUE, WA - A surprising victory for gun rights in Puerto Rico has eliminated the firearms registry and licensing requirements to purchase and carry in the Commonwealth, the Second Amendment Foundation has confirmed.
As of now, according to Sandra Barreras with Ladies of the Second Amendment (LSA), the group that brought the lawsuit, "there is no regulation to purchase or carry (and) all purchases will be handled in accordance with federal firearms regulations." LSA... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Man Jailed for 109 Years After Fatal Shooting of Wife
8 February 2014
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
SAN JUAN - Pablo Casellas Toro, the son of a former Puerto Rico treasury secretary now on the U.S. federal bench, was sentenced here Thursday to 109 years in prison for the murder of his wife.
Casellas was convicted Jan. 22 of killing wife Carmen Paredes on July 14, 2012, at the couple's home in the affluent San Juan suburb of Guaynabo.
"I want to make it clear that this conviction and this sentence that you are ready to impose are an injustice, because I did not kill... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Toughens Penalties for Celebratory Shootings
3 December 2013
Latin American Herald Tribune (Venezuela)
SAN JUAN – Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla on Monday signed two amendments to the island's gun law toughening the penalties for illegal weapons possession and for firing shots into the air, a common cause of accidents especially during the Christmas season.
"Whoever fires a weapon into the air, possesses or carries an illegal weapon, will have to serve jail time without the right to probation or to diversion programs," said Garcia Padilla upon signing the... (GunPolicy.org)
US, Puerto Rico Drug Trafficking Sting Nets Over 170 Guns
27 September 2013
Washington Post / Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Federal agents will start targeting high-level drug traffickers in Puerto Rico with intelligence gathered during a three-month blitz on criminal activity in the U.S. territory, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday.
The campaign is part of operation "Caribbean Resilience," which began in July 2012 and focuses on the smuggling of drugs, weapons, money and migrants.
The agency says agents have seized some 53,000 pounds (24,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Death of Child Puts Focus on Celebratory Gunfire in US
11 August 2013
Washington Post
MIDLOTHIAN, Virginia — When a stray bullet pierced the top of Brendon Mackey's head, the 7-year-old was on his way to a July Fourth fireworks celebration with his dad and other family members. He died the next day in a Richmond hospital, a bullet lodged at the base of his skull, sparking a methodical, door-to-door search for a most elusive killer: celebratory gunfire.
Police believe someone fired a shot into the air within a 5,200-foot radius of Brendon. Witnesses... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Puerto Rico,Dominican Republic
El Salvador's Inadequate Port Security Increases Gun Availability
23 January 2013
Huffington Post (USA) / Voxxi
The Dominican Republic continues to be the main command center for drug trafficking in the Caribbean region, with an increase in the past two years of 800 percent of the cocaine to United States and Europe.
According to the European Union's COPOLAD Program (drug partnership cooperation program between the European Union and Latin America), the lack of control and technological resources of the Dominican ports Multimodal Caucedo and Haina pose a major threat to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico,Mexico,Honduras,Barbados,United States,Colombia
US Man Breaks Silence on Pre-Fast and Furious Operation, 'Castaway'
8 October 2012
Kansas City Star (Missouri) / Miami Herald
A sensational election-season report into the botched Operation Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation has cast new light on a simultaneous Florida firearms investigation linked to violence in Colombia, Honduras and Puerto Rico.
Called Operation Castaway, the Florida case has received far less attention than Fast and Furious. The latter became an embarrassing distraction for Obama's administration when it was implicated in the death of a federal agent and Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Gets New Penal Law, Increases Penalties for Gun Crimes
30 July 2012
Caribbean Journal
Puerto Rico now has a new Penal Code, following a signing ceremony by Governor Luis Fortuño.
"Today we make history, by offering greater protection and justice to victims of crime and setting higher, fixed penalties for the most dangerous criminals who terrorize our families," Fortuño said.
The new code was the result of more than three years of work by a legislative commission tasked with revising the earlier 2004 version.
The law was passed following a series of... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Police Support to Citizens Using Guns for Defence Raises Concern [ES]
7 June 2012
La Prensa / EFE News Agency
[Translated summary: Amnesty International in Puerto Rico raises concern on the possible consequences of the explicit support of the police superintendent to citizens using firearms for self-defence.]
SAN JUAN - Amnistía Internacional (AI) Sección de Puerto Rico expresó hoy a través de un comunicado su preocupación ante las posibles consecuencias del apoyo explícito del jefe de la Policía de la isla, Héctor Pesquera, a que la ciudadanía utilice armas de fuego... (GunPolicy.org)
15 March 2012
International Action Network on Small Arms / IANSA
A gun amnesty in Puerto Rico has removed more than 400 firearms and over 30,000 rounds of ammunition from circulation since it began in February 2012. The amnesty is overseen by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, in cooperation with local government and religious centres across the country.
Over 35 churches have received training in how to handle surrendered weapons and have been certified as gun collection points. Henry Neumann, of the Ministry, said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Action Network on Small Arms / IANSA
Puerto Rico Gun Amnesty Nets 400 Firearms, 30,000 Rounds of Ammo
12 March 2012
Daily Sun (Puerto Rico)
The government has pulled out of circulation more than 400 firearms as well as more than 30,000 rounds of ammunition since last month's amnesty to turn them in came into effect, said the Secretary of Sports and Recreation, Henry Neumann.
"We have already collected over 400 firearms throughout Puerto Rico … more than 30,000 rounds of ammunition have been delivered to us as of 4 p.m. on Saturday, and we are letting the people know of the success behind this measure and... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico and US to Join Forces Against Gun Trafficking [ES]
20 September 2011
EFE News Agency
[Translated summary: Puerto Rico announced the creation of a joint unit between local security forces and US federal agenncies, designed to combat illegal gun trafficking and rising armed crime in Puerto Rico.]
SAN JUAN - El gobernador Luis Fortuño anunció hoy la creación de una unidad conjunta entre fuerzas de seguridad locales y federales diseñada para luchar contra el tráfico de armas ilegales y combatir el alza de crímenes violentos en Puerto Rico.
Fortuño... (GunPolicy.org)