Colombia rocked by car bomb blast a day after new President takes charge

A car bomb detonated at a toll plaza along the Pan-American Highway in southwestern Colombia on Saturday, just a day after conservative newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella assumed the presidency. The blast, blamed on two dissident groups of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), injured two security guards and woke nearby residents.

FARC had rejected the peace agreement signed with the Colombian government ten years ago. President-elect de la Espriella warned armed groups that they must either submit to the rule of law or face the security forces. The affected highway connects the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, with the capital Cali hosting his inauguration on Friday.

The army secured the area and deployed dogs to search for additional explosives. Cauca Governor Jorge Octavio Guzmán believes the attacks aim to isolate the department and maintain control over thousands of hectares. Transportation Minister Elsa Noguera vowed to restore traffic along the affected route, emphasizing Colombia will not "kneel before violence."

De la Espriella also announced the transfer of 117 prisoners linked to peace talks to maximum-security prisons, aiming to regain control over prisons and prevent criminal organizations from coordinating illicit activities from inside. The new president rejects the dialogue with armed groups pursued by his predecessor Gustavo Petro, who alleged electoral fraud despite the official declaration of his victory by Colombia's electoral authority and international observers.