Explosion in southwest Colombia kills at leat seven, state governor says

Authorities in Cauca region demand ‘decisive’ government action after deadly explosion on Pan-American Highway.At least 14 people have been killed in a highway bombing in southwestern Colombia, according to regional authorities.Octavio Guzmán, the governor of the Cauca region, said the explosive device was detonated on Saturday on the Pan-American Highway, in the El Tunel sector of Cajibio.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Petro becomes first president to visit Venezuela since Maduro abductionlist 2 of 3Suspect in slaying of Colombian presidential hopeful arrested in Argentinalist 3 of 3Colombia’s Petro accuses Ecuador of bombing near borderend of list“As of now, we report 14 people dead and more than 38 injured, including five minors,” Guzman said in a post on X.Guzman condemned what he called an “indiscriminate attack” against the civilian population.“There are not sufficient words for the pain we feel,” Guzman said, demanding a “decisive, sustained” response from the government against the “terrorist escalation”.A video shared by the governor appeared to show the aftermath of the bombing, with ambulances on site and mangled vehicles and debris covering the road.“Cauca cannot continue facing this barbarity alone,” Guzman added, stating that other unspecified “actions” had also been carried out in El Tambo, Caloto, Popayan, Guachene, Mercaderes, and Miranda.General Hugo López, commander of Colombia’s Armed Forces, told a news conference that it was a “terrorist act” and blamed the network of a man known as “Ivan Mordisco”, one of Colombia’s most wanted figures, and the Jaime Martínez faction.Both are dissidents of the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) armed group, which signed a landmark peace agreement with the government in 2016.Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the latest attack, calling the perpetrators “terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers”.