Colombian National Police officers on Wednesday found and neutralized a bus loaded with nearly half a ton of explosives a few kilometers away from Cali — the city that will soon host the inauguration of conservative President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella.
According to authorities from Colombia’s outgoing government, a commander of the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) terrorist group is believed to be behind the explosives-loaded vehicle, with the intended goal of killing local civilians and law enforcement officials.
The Colombian newspaper El Colombiano reported that the explosives-laden bus was found by police officers on Wednesday. Initial investigations determined that the vehicle was bound for the city of Cali and was some 20 minutes away from reaching its destination. Explosive ordnance disposal technicians safely carried out a controlled neutralization of the bombs found in the vehicle, preventing any risk to the local population.
According to Caracol Radio, seven cylinders containing 420 kilograms of ammonium nitrate were found inside the bus. Additionally, the bus had been fitted with seven concealed launch ramps presumably intended to fire the explosives.
The detection of the bus occurred at a time when over 11,000 Colombian law enforcement officials are presently deployed in the city of Cali and surrounding areas to provide security for the upcoming August 7 inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella.
Outgoing Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez provided further details on the ongoing investigations speaking to reporters on Wednesday. According to the Minister, Jaime “Mad Max” Martínez, an explosives expert and one of the commanders of the Marxist FARC terrorist group, is believed to be behind the bus filled with explosives. Martínez, one of the most-wanted FARC members by Colombian authorities, belongs to a faction led by Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, who is also known as “Ivan Mordisco.”
Minister Sánchez explained that, per the investigations, FARC sought to use the explosives inside the bus to kill civilians and Colombian law enforcement officials. Colombian authorities established a 500 million Colombian pesos (roughly $157,000) bounty on any information that can lead to Martínez’s arrest.
Sánchez published a copy of the bounty poster on Martínez. The FARC commander is actively wanted by Colombian authorities on multiple terrorism, rebellion, kidnapping, extortion, and other criminal charges. He is also wanted for the recruitment of minors into FARC’s ranks.
“We will not downplay any threat, but neither will we allow it to be blown out of proportion. Our response is to stay ahead of the situation, take the necessary measures, and prevent terrorism from achieving its goal of intimidating the population or disrupting the public’s peace of mind,” Sánchez wrote on social media.
“Calm, good judgment, and responsibility in handling information are essential. I urge everyone to avoid falling prey to misinformation or speculation. Always consult official sources to prevent rumors from fueling the panic that terrorists seek to create,” he continued.
The upcoming presidential inauguration in Cali marks the first time that a Colombian president will be inaugurated outside the capital city of Bogotá. Per the Colombian magazine Semana, President-elect de la Espriella said that he chose the city of Cali to host his inauguration as a “symbolic” gesture and as an “homage” to the Colombian regions that have fallen “into the hands of delinquency.” The inauguration ceremony will take place at the Arena USC amphitheater of the University of Cali. President-elect de la Espriella said this week that the ceremony will be “50 percent cheaper” than the one held by his predecessor, outgoing Marxist President Gustavo Petro, when he took office in August 2022.
Several heads of state have confirmed their attendance at the event, including Argentina’s Javier Milei, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, Chile’s José Antonio Kast, Panama’s José Raul Mulino, and King Felipe VI of Spain. The United States will be represented at the inauguration ceremony by a delegation led by Acting AG Todd Blanche.
According to Caracol Radio, President-elect de la Espriella will hold meetings with Milei, Noboa, Kast, King Felipe VI, and other attending heads of state in Cali prior to the inauguration ceremony. Vice President-elect José Manuel Restrepo, for his part, will confer with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa as well as representatives from Portugal, South Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Guatemala, and Peru. De la Espriella and Restrepo will reportedly hold meetings with representatives of the United States, Israel, Brazil, and Sweden after the inauguration.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.