At least 11 people were injured after a truck loaded with explosives detonated beside a police station in the Colombian city of Cucuta, near the Venezuelan border, just six days before the inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella.
According to AFP, the blast injured eight police officers and three civilians. Images from the scene showed the vehicle engulfed in flames, damaged buildings and emergency responders securing the area.
“This was an atrocious, violent act… and what happened is regrettable,” George Quintero, security secretary for Norte de Santander department, told reporters.
De la Espriella, a right-wing politician, is due to be sworn in on August 7 in the southwestern city of Cali, succeeding President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing leader.
Unlike previous inaugurations traditionally held at the Congress building in Bogota, the president-elect requested the ceremony be moved to Cali, despite the city and surrounding region being affected by clashes involving guerrilla groups and drug trafficking organisations.
Backed by the administration of US President Donald Trump, De la Espriella has pledged to intensify military operations against guerrillas and criminal groups. He has also proposed strengthening defence cooperation with the United States and Israel.
Authorities are preparing one of the country’s largest-ever security operations for the inauguration, deploying about 11,000 soldiers and police officers across land, sea and air.
The president-elect has also ended plans for peace negotiations pursued by the outgoing Petro administration, a move that has drawn threats from some armed groups.
Colombia’s election period has been marred by escalating violence, including bomb attacks, explosive-laden drones and assaults on security forces.
In 2025, presidential hopeful and Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during a campaign event in Bogota and later died from his injuries. De la Espriella has since claimed there have been plots to assassinate him.
