CALI, Colombia (BN24) — A series of coordinated bombings struck the southwestern Colombian city of Cali on Tuesday, killing at least two people and wounding dozens more in what authorities described as targeted attacks on police facilities. The explosions, which also rocked neighboring towns, come amid heightened political tension and ahead of a planned presidential visit.
The blasts erupted across several neighborhoods in Cali, including Meléndez, Manuela Beltrán, and Los Mangos. At least one of the explosives is believed to have been planted on a motorcycle, according to local officials. Spanish news agency EFE reported that at least 36 people were injured in the wave of violence.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder confirmed the attacks via social media, stating that emergency responders and health services were deployed to the affected sites. “Our security forces are on the scene and health teams are on alert in case of further incidents,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Graphic video circulating online showed scenes of chaos as injured civilians lay on the ground while bystanders and police offered assistance. The Colombian Army attributed the attacks to a dissident faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), led by Néstor Gregorio Vera, known as Iván Mordisco.
Authorities said the violence extended beyond Cali. Explosions were also reported in Jamundí, a nearby municipality, and in Cauca department, where car bombs detonated in El Bordo and Corinto caused material damage. In the town of Caloto, a police officer was killed by a sniper, and another explosive device targeted a toll booth in Villa Rica, roughly 20 kilometers from Cali.
“These cowardly attacks directly targeted police and disrupted civilian life,” the Army’s Third Division said in a statement, expressing support for security personnel and pledging continued defense of public safety.
The surge in violence follows the attempted assassination of a conservative senator in Bogotá just days earlier. The lawmaker, 39-year-old Miguel, was shot twice in the head by a teenage gunman during a campaign event in the capital. The attack has deepened fears of escalating instability ahead of national elections.
Tuesday’s bombings occurred on the eve of a planned visit to Cali by President Gustavo Petro, who was expected to participate in a labor union-led demonstration in support of his stalled labor reform initiative. With mounting opposition in the legislature, the government has suggested the reform may be advanced through a national referendum.
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, suspicion has focused on armed guerrilla groups operating in Colombia’s southwest, particularly factions that splintered from the FARC following its 2016 peace agreement with the government. These dissident groups continue to maintain a presence in rural and urban areas of Cauca and Valle del Cauca.
As security forces secured blast zones and launched investigations, residents in Cali remained on edge, bracing for potential further violence.
