A bomb attack on a highway in southwestern Colombia has left at least 19 people dead and injured at least 38 others, including five children, authorities said. The attack occurred a month before the country’s presidential election.
What happened
The explosion struck the Pan-American Highway in the municipality of Cajibio in Cauca province. Local reports say an explosive cylinder fell onto a minibus and detonated. Visuals shared by Governor Octavio Guzmán showed extensive damage to multiple vehicles, several overturned, and a large crater on the highway. Guzmán called the incident a “tragedy” and warned of a “terrorist escalation.”
Who is blamed
President Gustavo Petro blamed Ivan Mordisco, a wanted drug trafficker and former member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), for the attack. Mordisco is a dissident who rejected the 2016 FARC peace agreement. Petro labeled those responsible “terrorists, fascists and drug traffickers,” and has compared Mordisco to the late drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Context and responses
The explosion is part of a recent surge of attacks targeting public infrastructure in southwest Colombia. The Commander of the Armed Forces, Hugo López, reported at least 26 incidents over two days in Valle del Cauca and Cauca departments, affecting civilians. The attacks prompted high-level deployments, including Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez, who went to the region to assess security after two attacks in Valle del Cauca the day before the Cajibio explosion.
The string of incidents comes ahead of presidential elections scheduled for May 31, with security a central campaign issue. Right-wing opposition candidate Paloma Valencia, from Cauca and a member of the Democratic Center party, urged immediate action, stronger backing for the armed forces and police, and concrete results, accusing Petro’s government of minimizing violence and undermining the state.
Edited by: Sean Sinico