At least 21 people were killed and 56 injured in a powerful bombing on a highway in southwestern Colombia, the government confirmed on Monday, April 27, 2026. The explosion occurred on the main road connecting Cali and Popayán, leaving a large crater and causing severe casualties. Authorities described the attack as one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in recent decades, allegedly carried out by a cocaine-trafficking rebel group.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez called it one of the largest guerrilla attacks in recent times. President Gustavo Petro blamed the armed group led by Iván Mordisco, a dissident faction of the former FARC rebels who rejected the 2016 peace deal and continued violent activities. The bombing underscores the persistence of armed conflict despite past peace efforts.

The attack comes just weeks before Colombia’s presidential election scheduled for May 31. Analysts warned that the surge in guerrilla violence, including at least 31 attacks in the southwest last weekend, could significantly affect the country’s political climate and security outlook.