At least 11 people were wounded in a car bomb attack in Colombia, just days before right-wing President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is set to take office. The explosion occurred in Cucuta, near the Venezuelan border, on Saturday, six days before de la Espriella replaces outgoing President Gustavo Petro, the country's first leftist leader.
George Quintero, security secretary for Norte de Santander province, said: “At this time, we have 8 police officers and 3 civilians injured.” No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Several rebel groups, including the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), still operate in the region, along with the criminal organization Clan del Golfo.
In a post on social media platform X, de la Espriella condemned “with the strongest energy the cowardly terrorist attack against our National Police in Cucuta.” He added: “Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia nor break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security.”
Colombia has been plagued by an internal armed conflict lasting more than six decades, with leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitary forces, government troops, and criminal gangs vying for power. The conflict — along with the country's status as the world's largest cocaine producer — became a central issue in de la Espriella's campaign.
The election season was marred by political violence, with rebel groups accused of carrying out dozens of bomb and explosive-laden drone attacks. Earlier in 2025, right-wing presidential candidate Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in the head at an event in Bogota and died a month later from his wounds. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed during the internal conflict in 1991 after being kidnapped.
De la Espriella, set to be sworn in on August 7, has pledged to crack down on rebel groups and criminal organizations, both of which rely on the country's cocaine trade. The millionaire lawyer and businessman has never held public office before. His campaign was backed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who clashed with outgoing President Petro over regional security issues.
De la Espriella's victory marks a major ideological shift from Petro, who pursued a peace-through-dialogue approach to resolving the armed conflict. Petro also sought to move away from the U.S.-led “war on drugs” strategy, focusing on intercepting major drug routes. He and Trump conflicted over his decision to stop targeting poor small-scale farmers who grow coca, the raw material for cocaine production.
In contrast, de la Espriella has promised to strengthen military ties with the U.S. and pursue hardline strategies such as building mega-prisons and bombing suspected drug traffickers. He told the AP: “Any airplane that takes off loaded with drugs — as commander-in-chief, I will order the Air Force to shoot it down. Any boat that sets sail loaded with drugs, I will order it sunk with everyone on board.”
The president-elect has warned of an assassination plot against him. He initially wanted to take the oath at a military post in the conflict-stricken Cauca province, but Petro did not allow it. Instead, he will be sworn in at the Bogota City Hall, in a ceremony involving 11,000 soldiers and police officers.
