Wave of Violence Rocks Colombia: A Return to the Past?
Colombia is reeling from a brutal wave of coordinated bombings and gun attacks that have left at least seven dead and dozens injured. The tranquility of recent years was shattered on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, as a series of calculated assaults targeted police stations, municipal buildings, and civilian areas across the southwestern departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca, particularly in and around the city of Cali.
The sheer scale and coordination of these attacks are deeply unsettling. Car bombs, motorcycle bombs, sustained rifle fire, and even the suspected use of a drone paint a grim picture of a sophisticated and determined enemy. Among the casualties are two brave police officers, highlighting the direct assault on state authority.
Colombian authorities have swiftly pointed fingers at the FARC-EMC, a dissident faction composed of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who rejected the landmark 2016 peace accord. This group has been locked in renewed hostilities with the government since peace talks collapsed last year, and these recent attacks appear to be a violent escalation of their campaign.
This surge in violence comes on the heels of another alarming incident: an attempted assassination of conservative presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in Bogota just days prior. The convergence of these events has sent shivers down the spines of many Colombians, igniting fears of a terrifying return to the dark days of the 1980s and 1990s. That era was defined by the pervasive specter of guerrilla warfare, devastating cartel bombings, and politically motivated assassinations that held the nation hostage.
President Gustavo Petro and other high-ranking officials have unequivocally condemned the atrocities, vowing to confront this escalating security crisis head-on. The Ministry of Defense has underscored the severity of the situation by offering substantial rewards for any information that can lead to the capture of those responsible for these heinous acts.
The question on everyone’s mind is whether this marks a turning point, a slide back into the instability that Colombia has fought so hard to overcome. While the government has pledged a robust response, the recent events serve as a stark reminder of the enduring challenges to peace and security in the nation. The international community, too, will be watching closely as Colombia grapples with this renewed wave of violence, hoping that the progress made in recent years will not be irrevocably undone.