“Currently, we have eight injured police officers and three civilians (…) It was a brutal, violent attack (…) and what happened is regrettable,” said George Quintero, the security secretary of the Norte de Santander department, where the attack took place, to journalists.
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Before local security officials confirmed the number of injured, journalists saw a burning car, damaged building facades, and police officers, soldiers, and residents gathered around the attack site.
Right-wing A. de la Espriella will begin his duties on August 7. He will replace Gustavo Petro – the first left-wing president in the country’s history.
Supported by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the millionaire lawyer promised to intensify the fight against guerrillas and drug smuggling groups, blamed for sparking the largest wave of violence in the country in the past decade.
Colombia is the world’s largest cocaine producer.
To achieve his goals, A. de la Espriella plans to establish a military alliance with the U.S. and Israel.
The presidential inauguration traditionally takes place in the Congress building in Bogotá, but the president-elect requested to move the ceremony to Cali in the southwest of the country – a region where clashes between drug trafficking gangs and guerrillas occur.
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One of the largest security forces ever planned for this ceremony will be deployed for A. de la Espriella’s inauguration – about 11,000 soldiers and police officers will conduct operations on land, sea, and air.
The president-elect initially wanted to take the oath at a military facility in the conflict-ridden Cauca department, but G. Petro opposed this plan.
Guerrilla groups have issued warnings to the president-elect, who plans to end peace talks led by G. Petro with various armed organizations.
The election campaign was marked by political violence and an escalation of armed conflict: bombs, drones loaded with explosives, and numerous attacks on security forces were used.
In 2025, right-wing presidential candidate and senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during an event in Bogotá and later died.
A. de la Espriella has repeatedly stated that a conspiracy to assassinate him is being prepared.
