Car bomb wounds 11 in Colombia days before government handover

A car bomb exploded in the city of Cucuta, Colombia, days before the inauguration of right-wing leader Abelardo de la Espriella, wounding 8 police officers and 3 civilians.

Scraper SystemAugust 01, 2026, 08:02 PM

Car bomb wounds 11 in Colombia days before government handover

At least 11 people were wounded in a car bombing in the northeastern Colombian city of Cucuta, on the Venezuelan border, on Saturday. "At the moment there are eight police officers and three civilians injured," George Quintero, security secretary for the Norte de Santander region, told reporters.

The attack came six days before right-wing president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella assumes office on August 7. De la Espriella will take over from current President Gustavo Petro, the country's first leftist leader.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion. Several insurgent and criminal groups operate in the region, including the National Liberation Army (ELN), dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and the Clan del Golfo criminal organization.

In a statement on the social media platform X, De la Espriella strongly condemned what he called a "cowardly terrorist attack" against the National Police in Cucuta, adding, "Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security."

For more than six decades, Colombia has been gripped by civil war, with ongoing clashes between leftist rebels, right-wing paramilitary groups, government forces, and criminal organizations. The country is also the world's largest cocaine producer, a situation that became a focal point of De la Espriella's presidential campaign.

The election process was marked by political violence. Insurgent groups were accused of carrying out dozens of attacks with bombs and explosive-laden drones. 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. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 after being kidnapped by criminal groups.

De la Espriella has vowed to take a hard line against insurgent groups and drug trafficking. A millionaire lawyer and businessman with no previous public office experience, he has received backing from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump advocates a military approach, labelling drug traffickers "narcoterrorists" who threaten U.S. national security.

De la Espriella's election marks a major ideological shift from his predecessor Petro, who sought peace through dialogue. Petro distanced himself from the U.S.-led "war on drugs," focusing instead on disrupting drug routes while avoiding targeting poor coca farmers, a stance that led to friction with Trump.

By contrast, De la Espriella has pledged to expand Colombia's military alliance with the United States. He has also promised to adopt the tough policies of right-wing leaders like El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, including building mega-prisons and bombing suspected drug traffickers. During his campaign, he told the Associated Press, "As commander-in-chief, I will order the Air Force to shoot down any plane loaded with drugs. I will also order any boat loaded with drugs to be sunk with everyone on board."

De la Espriella has warned of an assassination plot against him and initially asked to be sworn in at a military garrison in the Cauca region. However, Petro did not allow that plan. The president-elect will take the oath of office at the Municipal Palace in Bogota in a ceremony involving 11,000 soldiers and police.

Car bomb wounds 11 in Colombia days before government handover

A car bomb exploded in the city of Cucuta, Colombia, days before the inauguration of right-wing leader Abelardo de la Espriella, wounding 8 police officers and 3 civilians.