Terror plot thwarted: Bus loaded with explosives seized in Colombia
Authorities intercepted a booby-trapped bus containing 420 kg of explosives, suspected to be intended for an attack on security forces in Cali during the inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella. The plot is reportedly led by a commander of a breakaway FARC faction.
Colombian security forces thwarted a potential terror attack ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, after intercepting a booby-trapped bus containing hundreds of kilograms of explosives in the southwest of the country.
According to Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez, the bus was stopped on Wednesday in the town of Santander de Quilichao in the Cauca department, about 48 kilometers from the city of Cali, where de la Espriella is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday in the presence of foreign leaders, diplomats, and senior US officials.
The minister stated that authorities had identified security threats ahead of the ceremony and that security forces continue to operate on high alert throughout the region. Initial investigations indicate that the plot is led by "Max Max," a commander in a breakaway faction of the former guerrilla organization FARC, under the leadership of Ivan Mordisco.
According to a report by Blu Radio, about 420 kilograms of explosives were found in the bus. Intelligence sources assess that the vehicle was intended to be used for an attack against army and police facilities in Cali during the inauguration events.
Expected to attend the ceremony are, among others, Argentine President Javier Milei, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Jose Antonio Kast of Chile, the leaders of Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras, King Felipe VI of Spain, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Contrary to the tradition that Colombian presidential inaugurations take place at the Congress building in Bogota, de la Espriella chose to hold the ceremony in Cali, arguing that the move reflects his administration's commitment to decentralizing power.
The President-elect, a lawyer associated with the conservative right, will begin his four-year term on August 7, against a backdrop of deteriorating security conditions following the collapse of the peace initiatives of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, alongside a severe fiscal crisis and accelerating inflation.
