Uruguay implements new decree to regulate firearms and ammunition

The Uruguayan Executive Branch has signed a regulatory decree to control the sale and acquisition of ammunition and firearms. The new measures aim to reduce firearm-related incidents by establishing limits on ammunition purchases and sales based on specific user types.

Key provisions of the decree include a traceability system for ammunition imported by the Ministries of Defense and the Interior, as well as mandatory marking for ammunition intended for police use to prevent it from reaching organized crime. The regulation maintains a maximum limit of eight firearms per person, but specifies that individuals may possess no more than four short firearms, including a maximum of two pistols.

Interior Minister Carlos Negro stated that the lack of ammunition control was a primary issue for his ministry. He noted that the new rules are part of the National Public Security Plan and were developed through dialogue with firearm owners' associations to ensure legal users are not adversely affected. Additionally, the decree increases criminal penalties for arms trafficking, the illegal alteration of serial numbers, and the conversion of semi-automatic weapons into automatic ones.