Colombia car bomb tests new president's security crackdown on day two

Cali,UPDATED: Aug 9, 2026 06:38 IST

A car bomb exploded on Saturday in south-western Colombia, a day after Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as the country’s new president. The army said two security guards suffered minor injuries in the blast and alleged that two dissident groups of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, were behind the attack.

The explosion came as de la Espriella began his term by stressing a hard line on security. Also on Saturday, he announced the transfer of 117 prisoners linked to the previous administration’s peace talks to eight maximum-security prisons, saying his government would move to curb the influence of criminal groups.

The bomb went off at a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway, the main road in Colombia’s south-west. According to the army, one of the injured guards told authorities that the explosion was caused by a vehicle that had been abandoned by a person who then fled on a motorcycle. The affected road links the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, whose capital, Cali, hosted de la Espriella’s swearing-in ceremony on Friday.

During his inaugural speech, de la Espriella outlined his security policy and warned illegal groups that “they have two paths: submit to the rule of law or confront the security forces”. On Saturday, the army said on social media that soldiers were securing the area and using trained dogs to search for other explosive devices. Parts of the vehicle, including the charred chassis, were scattered around the toll plaza.

The blast also affected families living a few metres from the site. Elizabeth Zapata, 57, said she felt the blast wave “lift them out of bed” and that the windows shattered. Her family members, who live with several children, “arrived with shards of glass embedded in their backs”.

Cauca Governor Jorge Octavio Guzmn told reporters he believed the attacks were aimed at isolating the department in order to maintain control over thousands of hectares. “This is not an isolated incident; it is systematic,” he said. Transport Minister Elsa Noguera condemned the attack and said work was under way to restore traffic in the area. “Colombia will not kneel before violence, nor will it allow the destruction of the infrastructure that connects our regions,” she wrote on social media.

Separately, de la Espriella said 117 prisoners linked to the previous administration’s peace talks would be moved to eight maximum-security prisons. The country’s corrections agency said the measure aimed to “regain permanent control of the prisons” and “contain any capacity of criminal organizations” to coordinate illicit activities from within prisons. De la Espriella has rejected the dialogue with armed groups promoted by his predecessor, Gustavo Petro.

With no previous political experience, the 48-year-old lawyer and businessperson narrowly defeated Ivn Cepeda, a progressive senator and Petro ally, in a June run-off election held in a polarised political climate. His term begins with strong opposition led by Petro, who has refused to acknowledge his victory and has continued to allege fraud despite the official declaration by the electoral authority and a positive assessment from international observers. Saturday’s developments underlined the security and political pressures facing the new president at the start of his term.

With PTI Inputs

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