A police officer was killed and several others injured in two bomb attacks that occurred on Saturday (8/8) in different regions of Colombia, just one day after President Abelardo De la Espriella was inaugurated. De la Espriella was inaugurated on Friday (7/8) in the city of Cali, in the south-western part of the country.
Colombia's Army stated that the dissident FARC guerrilla group used explosives to destroy a toll gate near Cali on Saturday in the early hours, with two security officers suffering minor injuries. The location is situated on the Pan-American highway in the administrative area of Santander de Quilichao, which is still under development.
About a thousand kilometres to the north, a police officer in Cesar was killed in a bomb attack when an unmanned aircraft loaded with explosives struck a police station. Authorities there have yet to identify the suspects.
De la Espriella condemned the bombing attacks via social media on Saturday, stating that "attacking state infrastructure means attacking progress." The president added in his post, "To those responsible, I send a firm message: there will be no hiding place, no leniency under the law, and no impunity."
De la Espriella, who announced his commitment to fighting "narcoterrorism without ceasefire," now faces a serious challenge from guerrilla groups and drug smugglers operating in Colombia. His inauguration took place amid the worst wave of violence the country has experienced in the past decade.
