Story perspectives

Bomb on Pan-American Highway Kills 20, FARC Blamed

4/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

A bomb exploded on the Pan-American Highway in El Túnel, Cajibío, Cauca, killing 20 civilians and wounding 36.
The blast left a 200-cubic-metre crater, prompting Red Cross workers to set up a triage site.
Governor Octavio Guzmán called the attack most brutal in decades and declared three days of mourning.
President Gustavo Petro blamed dissident FARC faction led by Iván Mordisco and labeled the perpetrators terrorists, fascists and drug traffickers.

History

Historical Context

The February 7 2003 car bomb that destroyed Bogotá’s El Nogal Club killed 36 people and injured over 200 with roughly 200 kg of explosives. Colombian officials blamed the FARC, prompting a UN Security Council resolution and a surge in counter-insurgency measures. The April 2024 highway blast echoes that decade-old pattern of urban terrorism in Colombia.

1 of 2

Story summary

A bomb exploded on the Pan-American Highway in El Túnel, Cajibío, Cauca, killing 20 civilians and wounding 36.
The blast left a 200-cubic-metre crater, prompting Red Cross workers to set up a triage site.
Governor Octavio Guzmán called the attack most brutal in decades and declared three days of mourning.
President Gustavo Petro blamed dissident FARC faction led by Iván Mordisco and labeled the perpetrators terrorists, fascists and drug traffickers.

1 / 2