Bomb attacks mark first day of Colombia's new government

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella began his term with a stark display of the nation's enduring security challenges. Within his first day in office, two bomb attacks rocked the country, leaving one police officer dead and several others injured.

The first incident occurred early Saturday near Cali, where explosives destroyed a toll booth under construction on a highway. Two security guards sustained minor injuries in the blast, which the army attributed to FARC dissidents led by Iván Mordisco, a highly sought-after guerrilla leader.

Hours later and nearly 1,000 kilometers away in the northern Cesar region, a drone packed with explosives struck a police station, killing an officer. Authorities have not yet identified suspects in this attack.

De la Espriella, who took office Friday, has adopted a hardline stance against armed groups, diverging sharply from his predecessor Gustavo Petro's strategy of pursuing peace talks. The new president campaigned on a promise to confront "narcoterrorism without mercy" and cease negotiations with gangs. He openly admires figures like Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele.

"I send a clear message to those responsible: There will be no sanctuary, no lenient treatment, and no impunity," de la Espriella declared on social media platform X, vowing that the attacks would not go unpunished. He plans to implement tough measures, including opening large-scale prisons and intensifying attacks against armed groups, with support from the United States and Israel.

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I send a clear message to those responsible: There will be no sanctuary, no lenient treatment, and no impunity.