Robert Mur
06/17/2021 10:23 AM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 06/17/2021 10:30
The car bomb attack on a military base in Cúcuta
sows more instability in Colombia
, amid the social outbreak.
Authorities on Wednesday insisted on targeting the National Liberation Army (ELN) as the main suspect, but this guerrilla had not claimed responsibility for the action until Wednesday night.
The explosion raises unknowns in a country that believed it had left political violence behind with the dissolution of the FARC in 2016. But it seems difficult for Colombia to achieve total pacification while producing cocaine.
The ease with which the perpetrators of the attack
accessed the barracks
or the choice of target, a compound where there are
US soldiers
and a unit to combat drug trafficking, increase suspicions.
Destroys in the attacked military base in Cúcuta.
Photo: Reuters
Despite Colombia's experience in the fight against terrorism, the two unknown persons who entered with a vehicle loaded with explosives early Tuesday afternoon to Brigade 30 of Cúcuta, capital of the Norte de Santander region.
They did it
without major problems
.
First, it was said that the terrorists identified themselves as members of the Prosecutor's Office, which was denied by the Public Ministry.
The SUV
exploded five minutes after
being parked in front of the dispensary of La Baso, very close to the battalion of operations against drug trafficking and the facilities that house a number of US military personnel who
provide advice to Colombian troops
in the fight. against drugs.
v1.6
Car bomb attack on military base
Infographic:
Clarín
After a first blast, two minutes later there was
a second
blast
.
There were no deaths, but 36 people were injured - two of them civilians - three seriously, and none of the Americans were affected.
The ELN, the first hypothesis
The military base houses US troops and a battalion to fight drug trafficking.
Although the investigators - who
are being assisted by the FBI
- do not rule out a group of FARC dissidents linked to drug trafficking,
the first hypothesis is the ELN
, as reiterated by Defense Minister Diego Molano, who traveled to Cúcuta shortly after the attack.
“Terrorists cannot continue
posing as peacekeepers abroad
, while they commit heinous acts against our soldiers and Colombians.
All the collaboration with the Prosecutor's Office to clarify the attack on Brigade 30. The ELN would be responsible, ”Molano tweeted.
We sympathize with the soldiers wounded in the attack in Cúcuta and with their families.
I spoke with Corporal López and other soldiers who expressed their commitment to the country.
Heroes of the homeland who have the support of Colombians.
Admiration and gratitude.
pic.twitter.com/XE2gPem93U
- Diego Molano Aponte (@Diego_Molano) June 16, 2021
Peace negotiations
The minister was referring to the contacts that the ELN has maintained with the government
to initiate peace negotiations
.
Although some guerrilla leaders take refuge in Venezuela, the interlocutors with the Executive are
in Cuba.
In the last two years, both parties have had
some thirty contacts
- directly or through foreign diplomats, representatives of the UN or members of the Catholic Church, who act as mediators - and the dialogue
has fluctuated
depending on the guerrilla activity.
A turning point was the attack perpetrated by the ELN on January 17, 2019 at a military school in Bogotá where 22 cadets died and 67 people were injured.
A car bomb attack,
very similar to that of Monday in Cúcuta.
Explosion at the General Santander Cadet School, in the south of Bogotá, in 2019. Photo: EFE
The attack took place a few hours after the National Unemployment Committee (CNP) announced
a temporary cessation of protests
against the conservative government of Iván Duque that have caused serious disturbances throughout the country since April 28.
The leaders of the Committee assure that the negotiations with the Government remain
stalled
and are betting to present their demands before Congress while the dialogue is rebuilt.
Precisely, Molano has passed
two confidence motions
in Parliament
in recent weeks
, avoiding his dismissal, since the CNP blames him directly for the fifty deaths caused in the repression of protests by the riot police of the National Police, a body that Despite being a civilian, it depends on the Ministry of Defense.
The remains of the car bomb.
Photo: Reuters
Duque also traveled to Cúcuta on Tuesday night, described the attack as
"insane"
and announced a reward - in exchange - of about
112,000 euros
for information on the perpetrators.
On Wednesday, the president inaugurated the
Anato Tourism Showcase
in Bogotá
, the country's main tourism fair, which is once again being held in person despite the fact that Colombia is now one of the main global sources of covid contagion.
After the dissolution of the FARC, the Government
dreamed of receiving millions of foreign tourists
to an idyllic pacified Caribbean destination.
Despite the street revolt and the persistent violence of drug trafficking or the guerrillas, Duque continues to have that dream.
CASES
0.000.00000.000
per million inhab.
Xxxxx
DEATHS
00,0000,000
per million inhab.
Source:
Johns Hopkins
Chart:
Flourish
|
Infographic:
Clarín
The author is a journalist for La Vanguardia
Look also
Protests in Colombia: young people without fear, the spearhead in the demonstrations against Ivan Duque
Protests in Colombia: mobilizations suspended until July 20