Colombia manufactures first rifles to replace Israeli weapons • FRANCE 24 English

In the industrial suburbs outside Bogota, gunsmiths at Colombia’s state-owned Armorer put the finishing touches on their newest creation, testing its resilience and accuracy. Their project is the country’s first domestically designed and produced battle rifle. It would generate a level of autonomy and independence that would allow us to produce fully Colombianmade rifles to supply both the national and international markets. Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro has already proposed a name for the new weapon, the Miranda, after General Francisco De Miranda, a hero of the 19th century Latin American independence movement. Since the 1990s, most Colombian armed forces have carried a version of the Galo rifle, an Israeli design assembled in Colombia from Israeli components. But last year, the pro government cut ties with Israel over its siege of Gaza, which numerous expert groups and NOS, including the UN, have described as a genocide. The US has also been a significant supplier of small arms. Those contracts, too, halted after Donald Trump removed Colombia from the list of American allies in the war on drugs. Pro himself has continued to denounce both the US and Israel amid the ongoing slaughter of Palestinian civilians. Trump. If Mr. Trump continues to be complicit in a genocide, as he has been up to now, his army should disobey him and he should be in jail. Colombia’s new rifle is 15 to 25% lighter than the Gil. Officials are aiming to produce 400,000 of them over the next 5 years as they continue to battle drug traffickers and guerilla groups.

After halting arms purchases from Israel and, more recently, from the United States, Colombia unveiled its first assault rifle on Monday, designed and manufactured entirely within the country. It is set to replace the Israeli IWI Galil, which was being assembled in Colombia since the 1990s. Story Bryan Quinn.
#Colombia #Israel #weapons

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19 comments

  6. The Galil is a design well over 50 years old. It's highly probable that they were designing the new rifle well before the current president set his policy on Israel.

  11. When I held a Galil as a baby in the 90's, it was already a vintage weapon. They've moved onto the Tavor long ago.

  13. As a Colombian living abroad I don’t agree with a lot of Petro’s policies or statements but this is a fantastic move. Colombia first.

  17. This Columbian el presidente is bloody marxist yes galil been around took out many hamasi and cubani so is btl tested ive shot a galil 5.56mm

  19. This sounds good on the surface but only if their product is actually any good.
    The domestic market seems to not have a choices reviews from international buyers and sales will tell if the product is any good or not.

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