Colombian authorities have confirmed that the death toll from a weekend bombing on the Pan-American Highway has risen to 21, marking a devastating escalation in a wave of coordinated attacks across the country’s southwest. The bombing, which occurred on a critical artery connecting the cities of Cali and Popayán in the Cauca district, also left 56 people injured, surpassing initial reports of 19 deaths.
This violence is part of a broader offensive, with security forces recording at least 31 separate guerrilla actions throughout three neighboring departments since last Friday.
The government has squarely attributed this surge in violence to the primary dissident factions of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), an armed group that rejected the 2016 peace accord. Led by Iván Mordisco, currently the country’s most wanted criminal, these groups are reportedly using the terror campaign as retaliation against intensified military operations in the region.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez characterized these actions as “war crimes,” noting that the ongoing guerrilla warfare is fueled largely by the illicit cocaine trade, which remains a primary source of funding for these illegal armed entities.
Read more about this topic: Colombia: death toll rises to 19 in bombing ahead of elections (with video)
As Agence France-Presse reported, the military has confirmed the high frequency of these attacks, highlighting the severity of the security crisis gripping the nation’s southwest. The Cauca region, which contains vast expanses of illicit coca cultivation, has become the primary theater for this offensive as the country approaches the general elections scheduled for May 31.
This unrest compounds the existing tension in the nation, which has faced significant instability since 2025, when attacks on security forces resulted in widespread civilian casualties during the worst period of violence in over a decade.
In response to the crisis, Minister Sanchez confirmed that the government would immediately reinforce the military and police presence in the affected zones. The timing of this “terrorist wave” is particularly fraught, coming as the country prepares for the upcoming presidential transition.
Security has dominated the national political discourse ever since the assassination of right-wing candidate Miguel Uribe at a campaign rally in June 2025. With President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first leftist leader, set to depart office following the May election, the nation remains on high alert, grappling with a volatile security landscape that threatens to overshadow the democratic process.
