The Diplomat
The Spanish government condemned on Monday the wave of violent attacks in southwestern Colombia over the past 48 hours, which have left at least 20 people dead and dozens wounded.
In a press release, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “expresses its solidarity and condolences to the victims and to the Colombian people and government, reiterates its commitment to peace, and advocates for security, stability, and an end to violence in the country.”
Around 20 people have died in just 48 hours as a result of a series of attacks in eastern and southeastern Colombia. Authorities have accused dissident groups from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), specifically the factions led by “Iván Mordisco” and Jaime Martínez, which maintain a presence in strategic corridors linked to drug trafficking.
Following the attacks, Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered an intensification of military operations against the guerrillas and denounced the perpetrators as “terrorists, fascists, and drug traffickers” who “want the extreme right, fascism, to govern Colombia because they know they can conduct their cocaine and illicit gold business with them.” “I want the fullest global prosecution of this narco-terrorist group,” he added on social media.
For his part, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez stated on Monday that “terrorism doesn’t show its face: it infiltrates the people and uses the civilian population as a shield to attack the State.” “In the southwest of the country, the Public Force is deployed with all its capabilities in a firm offensive against the narco-terrorist groups,” he added via social media.
The Army has recorded twelve violent incidents in Cauca, three in Valle del Cauca, and two in Nariño. The incidents included attacks on military bases, the throwing of explosive devices, and acts of violence against troops attempting to restore order in rural areas. The deadliest attack was perpetrated against a bus on the Pan-American Highway in Cauca, which left 21 dead.