Colombia rocked by car bomb blast a day after new President takes charge
A car bomb exploded at a toll plaza in southwestern Colombia just one day after the inauguration of President Abelardo de la Espriella. The army attributed the attack to FARC dissident groups, resulting in minor injuries and property damage.
Why it matters
The attack signals immediate security challenges for the new administration and highlights ongoing instability in Colombia's rural regions.
A car bomb exploded Saturday at a toll plaza in southwestern Colombia, the army said, a day after conservative political newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as the country's new president.The army blamed the attack on two dissident groups of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which rejected the peace agreement the guerrilla group signed with the Colombian government a decade ago.The blast took place at a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway, a key road linking Colombia's southwestern regions. Two security guards suffered minor injuries, according to the army. One of the guards told authorities that the explosion was caused by a vehicle abandoned at the site by a person who fled on a motorcycle.The affected stretch of highway connects the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, whose capital, Cali, hosted de la Espriella's inauguration on Friday.
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