Colombia's outgoing Defense Minister, Pedro Sanchez, has warned of an increased risk of “terrorism” ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, scheduled for Friday.
Speaking on La FM radio on Wednesday, Minister Sanchez said authorities are monitoring a “threat” targeting the event. “It is highly possible that these criminals will seek to sabotage this democratic event with terrorist acts,” he said.
The presidential transition ceremony will be held in Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia that has recently seen repeated attacks by militia forces. De la Espriella, 48, who narrowly won the decisive runoff vote in June, requested Congress to move the venue from the capital Bogotá to the country's third-largest city, despite its proximity to areas controlled by rebel groups.
Several foreign leaders, including the presidents of Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Ecuador, as well as Spain's King Felipe VI, are expected to attend the inauguration.
To ensure security for the event, the Colombian military is deploying around 11,000 troops and imposing a no-fly zone for drones over Cali and its surroundings. Rebel gunmen have previously used drones to drop explosives.
In the nearby province of Cauca, a dissident faction of the FARC armed group operates under the command of Iván Mordisco, the alias of Colombia's most-wanted rebel leader.
President-elect De la Espriella, a hard-liner, campaigned on a promise to dismantle the “Total Peace” negotiation strategy of outgoing President Gustavo Petro with armed groups. Meanwhile, Petro has contested the election results and announced he will not attend Friday's ceremony.
