Southwest Colombia has experienced a wave of violence with a series of explosions and gun attacks that have left at least seven people dead. Authorities suspect that rebel groups are behind these coordinated assaults, which targeted police stations and municipal buildings in several locations, including Cali, Corinto, El Bordo, and Jamundi.
The attacks involved car and motorcycle bombs, rifle fire, and possibly a drone, according to police chief Carlos Fernando Triana. The violence erupted just days after the attempted assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a presidential hopeful, during a campaign rally in Bogotá. This incident, allegedly carried out by a 15-year-old gunman, has heightened fears in a country still grappling with a history of political violence.
In Corinto, an AFP journalist reported seeing the wreckage of a car that exploded near a badly damaged municipal building. Triana confirmed that two police officers and several civilians were among the dead, with at least 12 others injured in the attacks.
While no group has officially claimed responsibility, military and police officials have pointed to the FARC-EMC. This group consists of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who broke away after the original group signed a peace deal with the government in 2016. The recent bombings may be linked to the anniversary of the death of FARC dissident leader Leider Johani Noscue, known as “Mayimbu.”
These violent events come at a tense time for Colombia, especially following the assassination attempt on Uribe. The senator, a member of the opposition Democratic Centre party, underwent successful surgery and is currently in critical but stable condition. His situation has sparked public outrage, with thousands taking to the streets to express their anger and support.
President Gustavo Petro, who has promised to promote peace, has ordered increased security for opposition leaders amid rising threats. Many Colombians are anxious about a potential return to the violence that plagued the country in the 1980s and 1990s, marked by cartel attacks and political killings.
The Colombian government continues to face challenges in managing violence in both urban and rural areas, as various rebel groups vie for control of territories left vacant by FARC after the peace agreement. Peace talks with the FARC-EMC collapsed last year following a series of attacks on Indigenous communities, leaving the situation precarious.