An explosion on a bus along the Pan-American Highway in southwestern Colombia killed 13 people and injured at least 38, including five children, according to regional authorities on Saturday.
Octavio Guzmán, governor of the Cauca region, said the device detonated whereas the bus was traveling through the El Tunel sector of Cajibio. He described the attack as indiscriminate and called for a decisive, sustained government response to what he termed a terrorist escalation.
General Hugo López, commander of Colombia’s Armed Forces, confirmed the incident was a terrorist act and blamed the network of Iván Mordisco, one of the country’s most wanted figures, and the Jaime Martínez faction. Both groups are dissidents of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and do not recognize the 2016 peace agreement with the state.
President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack on social media, labeling the perpetrators terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers. He noted that many of the victims were Indigenous people from the Cajibío area.
The bombing is part of a broader surge in violence, with at least 26 incidents recorded in the past two days across southwestern Colombia. These include a shooting at a police station in Jamundi, an attack on a Civil Aviation radar facility in El Tambo where three explosive-laden drones were neutralized, and two vehicle bombings near military units in Cali and Palmira on Friday.
All incidents, according to military officials, have targeted civilians exclusively. The region remains a contested zone where illegal armed groups linked to drug trafficking operate amid ongoing insecurity despite the formal peace process.
The violence prompted a high-level government response, with Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez leading a delegation of regional governors and local authorities that was meeting in Palmira when the explosion occurred. Sánchez said the attackers aim to instill fear but will be met with firm state action.
Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca, urged national authorities to provide immediate support, calling for reinforced security forces, improved intelligence, and decisive measures against what she described as a terrorist-level escalation in the region.
Who are Iván Mordisco and the Jaime Martínez faction?
They are dissident groups that rejected the 2016 peace agreement with the FARC and continue to operate in southwestern Colombia, particularly in Cauca, where they are involved in drug trafficking and armed attacks.
Why has violence increased in the region recently?
Authorities say the surge is linked to territorial disputes among illegal armed groups tied to the drug trade, which have intensified despite the formal peace process, prompting renewed military and government attention.
