Colombia has offered a record $1.4 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Iván Jacob Idrobo Arredondo, alias 'Marlon,' accused of ordering a bus bombing that killed at least 20 people in the country's Cauca region on Saturday.
Key Takeaways
Colombia has offered a $1.4 million reward for Iván Jacob Idrobo Arredondo, alias 'Marlon,' accused of ordering a bus bombing that killed at least 20 people in Cauca region. The attack was part of a wave of violence targeting civilians before national elections.
- Colombia offers record $1.4m reward for suspect Marlon's capture
- Attack killed at least 20, injured 36, including five minors
- Suspects linked to dissident FARC group Central General Staff EMC
- Governor declares three days of mourning and demands government action
- UN condemns attacks, calls for investigations and justice
The explosion occurred on the Pan-American Highway in Cajibio municipality as part of a wave of at least two dozen incidents targeting civilians over a two-day period. According to Governor Octavio Guzmán, the blast left a crater measuring 650 feet long and 200 cubic meters deep on the vital highway that runs through Central and South America.
President Gustavo Petro has specifically named Néstor Gregorio Vera Fernández, alias 'Iván Mordisco,' and Arredondo as suspects behind the attack. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez described Marlon as a 'demented terrorist' who killed 'humble people who were only seeking the best.' The victims include 15 women and five men, all adults.
Governor Guzmán declared three days of mourning starting Sunday and called for a 'decisive, sustained' response from the government against what he termed a 'terrorist escalation.' The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the attacks and called for investigations to guarantee justice for victims. Meanwhile, Petro has urged a worldwide pursuit of these narco-terrorist groups and financial crackdowns on their transactions.
According to UPI, Arredondo is believed to be a former member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), part of a dissident group that broke off after FARC signed a peace deal with the Colombian government in 2016. The attack was reportedly ordered by the dissident group Central General Staff EMC, led by Iván Mordisco.
Some media reports put the death toll from the lethal explosion at 21 as of late on Monday. A dozen of the victims were from a village near Cajibio, where hundreds of mourners held a vigil on Monday dressed in white and waving white sheets or balloons as a sign of peace.
The bombing was one of the deadliest attacks in Colombia since the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) blew up a Bogota nightclub in 2003, killing 36 people. The attack comes just over a month before national elections, with security being one of the central issues.
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