Eight people were killed and more than 75 injured in a wave of 24 coordinated attacks launched early Tuesday across southwestern Colombia by dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The explosions mark one of the deadliest escalations of violence since President Gustavo Petro took office in August 2022.
The attacks unfolded over a five-hour period in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, as well as in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city. Police stations, municipal buildings, and highways were targeted with car bombs, sniper fire, and improvised explosive devices. Among the dead were five civilians and three police officers, according to official reports.
National Police chief General Carlos Fernando Triana condemned the incidents as “a coordinated terrorist offensive” orchestrated by FARC dissidents. Officials noted the attacks coincided with the anniversary of the death of dissident commander Leider Johany Noscué, known as “Mayimbú,” killed by security forces in 2022.
President Petro announced he will travel to Cali on Wednesday to preside over an emergency security council aimed at assessing the crisis and coordinating the state’s response. He is also expected to attend a citizen march in support of his consulta popular — a national referendum — that was rejected by the Senate on May 14. Petro has insisted that “the people” must decide on his proposed labor and health reforms, not Congress.
Lawmakers and legal experts have warned that if Petro unilaterally decrees the referendum from Cali on Wednesday, he would be in direct violation of Colombia’s 1991 Constitution. Opposition leaders argue that this move constitutes prevaricato — a perversion of justice — and amounts to “coup”. The decree will also trigger a constitutional crisis and could potentially result in criminal charges levied against the President and Ministers who sign the document. Making the announcement from a city rocked by terrorist attacks may further inflame tensions between Colombia’s executive, legislative, and judicial branches during a week already marred by bloodshed and political turmoil.
The wave of violence comes as the country remains stunned by the attempted assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a prominent opposition figure and likely 2026 presidential candidate from the conservative Democratic Center party. Uribe was shot in the head during a public event in Bogotá on Saturday and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
In its latest medical report on Wednesday, Bogotá’s Santa Fe Hospital said the senator had shown “a slight neurological improvement due to reduced brain swelling” and is now in “hemodynamic stability.” The update brought some hope to Uribe’s family, friends, and supporters, many of whom have held nightly vigils outside the hospital.
In response to both the assassination attempt and the recent attacks, presidential candidates, opposition leaders and independent parties announced a nationwide Marcha Del Silencio – Silent March – on Sunday, June 15. Tens of thousands are expected to take to the streets starting 9:00 am in a unified stance against political violence. One of the largest demonstrations will be held in Bogotá’s National Park and Plaza de Bolívar.
Under mounting scrutiny for the security crisis, Petro confirmed that he has requested assistance from U.S. intelligence agencies to investigate the attack against Uribe Turbay. “I have requested, through the U.S. Embassy, that that country’s secret services assist thoroughly in the investigation into the attempted assassination of Senator Uribe Turbay. The assassin’s weapon was purchased in Arizona and passed through Florida,” Petro posted on ‘X’.
Petro added that one line of investigation suggests links between the attack on Uribe and organized crime groups operating in the southwest. “I have requested a meeting of the military and police leadership in Cali. I will be there. We will study all the information linking mafia groups in the region to the attack on Senator Uribe Turbay,” remarked Petro.
Interior Minister Armando Benedetti echoed the President’s concerns, saying preliminary findings suggest a possible connection between Saturday’s shooting and Tuesday’s bombings. “We are working with information, evidence, ongoing investigations, and assessments that are not yet definitive — but it is possible that those setting off bombs are related to what happened on Saturday,” said Benedetti.
A key piece of evidence is the weapon used in the attack on Uribe. According to General Triana, forensic experts identified that the Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm was purchased on August 6, 2022. “We are verifying how the weapon entered Colombia. We know its origin, but we still lack clarity on the trafficking route. This is one of the most critical lines of investigation we are pursuing,” he said.
The Attorney General’s Office is also investigating whether the weapon had been used in other crimes prior to the shooting of Miguel Uribe Turbay, and whether the 15-year-old alleged shooter was recruited by an international criminal organization.
