Bomb attack leaves 14 dead in Colombia and raises tension on the eve of the presidential election

The explosion occurred in the department of Cauca BBC Just over a month before the presidential elections in Colombia, a bomb attack left 14 dead and at least 38 injured in the southwest of the country, this Saturday (25). Authorities attributed the attack to FARC guerrilla dissidents who did not adhere to the 2016 peace agreement, who (and) spread terror in the country. Five victims were minors. AFP images show people around the victims’ bodies, destroyed vehicles and holes on a road in the department of Cauca, where the explosion occurred. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Trending videos on g1 In videos shared on social media, witnesses report being thrown several meters by the force of the impact. “We were waiting for the release to move forward and this bomb exploded right there,” Francisco Javier Betancourt, a coffee farmer and witness to the attack, told AFP. “I was scared […] look how far this country has come,” he added. Colombia is facing a series of attacks in recent weeks. “Those who attacked and killed […] they are terrorists, fascists and drug traffickers”, wrote President Gustavo Petro on the social network On Friday, an attack on a military base in Cali, the third largest city in the country, left two injured and began a series of attacks in the departments of Valle del Cauca and Cauca. In the last two days, 26 attacks were recorded in this region, according to Hugo López, commander of the military forces. The offensive increases the climate of tension as the presidential election approaches on May 31, in which security is one of the central themes, especially after the assassination of right-wing pre-candidate Miguel Uribe, shot during a rally in June 2025. President Gustavo Petro’s political heir, senator Iván Cepeda, is the favorite for the election, followed by right-wing conservatives Abelardo de la Espriella and Paloma Valencia, according to polls. The three reported receiving threats. of death and have strong security systems. De la Espriella and Paloma Valencia criticize Petro’s peace policy and promise a hard line against the rebels. In Colombia, it is common for armed groups, which finance themselves through illicit activities such as drug trafficking, illegal mining and extortion, to try to exert violent pressure on the presidential election.

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