A vehicle explosion occurred Saturday at a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway in southwestern Colombia’s Cauca and Valle del Cauca region, according to the Colombian army. Two security guards sustained minor injuries in the incident. Authorities reported that an individual abandoned the vehicle at the site before fleeing on a motorcycle.
The military attributed the attack to dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which split from the main FARC organization following a peace agreement signed a decade prior. These splinter groups rejected the accord negotiated between FARC and the Colombian government. Army personnel secured the surrounding area and deployed detection dogs to search for additional explosive devices. Transportation Minister Elsa Noguera condemned the bombing and stated that authorities were working to restore traffic flow, emphasizing that infrastructure connections would not be compromised by violence.
The attack occurred one day after de la Espriella, a 48-year-old lawyer and businessperson with no prior political experience, was inaugurated as president. During his swearing-in ceremony in Cali on Friday, the new president outlined his security approach and warned armed organizations they must either accept state authority or face confrontation with security forces. Later on Saturday, de la Espriella announced the relocation of 117 inmates connected to previous peace negotiations to eight maximum-security facilities, citing the need to restore prison control and prevent criminal coordination.
De la Espriella defeated progressive senator Iván Cepeda in a runoff election in June amid a polarized political environment. His predecessor, Gustavo Petro, has refused to accept the electoral results despite official certification and international observer approval, alleging unspecified irregularities. Petro, who promoted dialogue with armed groups, now leads the robust opposition to the new administration’s policies.
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