Colombian President Gustavo Petro Blames FARC Dissidents for Deadly Highway Bombing in Cauca Region That Killed 14, Injured Dozens Ahead of 2026 Election

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has blamed rebel groups for a deadly highway bombing in the country’s Cauca region that killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more, including minors.

The attack occurred on a highway in southwestern Colombia, an area long affected by guerrilla violence, where multiple vehicles were destroyed and debris littered the road following the explosion. Videos shared from the scene showed upturned vehicles and craters along the roadway.

Authorities linked the bombing to dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), one of the longest-running insurgency groups in Latin America. President Petro described those responsible as “terrorists, fascists and drug traffickers” and called for the military to confront them.

The bombing comes amid a surge of violence in the Cauca region, with local officials reporting a series of smaller attacks in recent days, including an incident that targeted a military base in the city of Cali and injured two people. A bus filled with explosives also failed to detonate earlier in the day, an attack authorities attributed to a drug-trafficking cartel.

Political violence has re-emerged in Colombia following the collapse of peace talks between the government and FARC in 2016, despite President Petro’s ongoing “total peace” strategy. The latest attack occurred just weeks ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for May 31, 2026.