FARC dissidents bomb convoy, wounding two in Colombia

Two explosions rocked Colombia within 24 hours of President Abelardo de la Espriella’s swearing-in, injuring two people and killing a police officer as his government vowed to crack down on armed groups. The first blast targeted a highway tollbooth near Cali, destroying the structure and wounding two motorists. Hours later, gunmen attacked a police convoy in Cesar, killing one officer and leaving another injured. Authorities linked both incidents to dissident factions of the demobilized FARC guerrilla group, which have rejected peace accords and resumed armed operations across rural Colombia.

De la Espriella campaigned on a promise of zero tolerance for violence and has signaled a hardline shift after years of stalled negotiations under his predecessor. His administration accused FARC dissidents of trying to destabilize the country ahead of planned security operations targeting armed factions. The president took office Monday after winning a polarizing election that split voters over how to handle ongoing conflict in regions long controlled by armed groups. Analysts say his aggressive stance risks escalating clashes while doing little to address root causes like poverty and weak state presence in rural areas.

Security forces reported seizing explosives and weapons linked to the FARC dissidents in separate raids this week, but the group remains active in drug trafficking corridors. The police officer killed in Cesar was part of a unit patrolling a highway known for ambushes by armed groups. Colombia’s defense ministry confirmed the tollbooth explosion and said investigators found bomb fragments matching those used by dissidents in past attacks. Civil society groups warned that increased military pressure could displace civilians in conflict zones already suffering food and medical shortages.

The president’s hardline approach faces immediate tests as FARC dissidents retaliate and rural communities brace for more violence. His government plans to deploy 30,000 additional troops to hotspots like Cauca and Nariño, where dissident factions operate. Analysts say the strategy may reduce some attacks but risks deepening cycles of retaliation unless social programs accompany military action. The coming weeks will show whether de la Espriella’s tough stance can curb violence or further destabilize regions already exhausted by decades of conflict.