Surveillance video shows footage of an incident at a restaurant at night. Initially, several people occupy the local tables. Seconds later, the diners get up and run, causing tables and chairs to fall. The area is filled with scattered objects and debris. Multiple individuals move out of the establishment, which is left with much of the furniture overturned and disorganized.
An explosion shook the Colonel Agustín Codazzi Engineer Battalion No. 3 on the night of Friday, April 24, in the municipality of Palmira, Valle del Cauca.
A vehicle loaded with explosive devices detonated in the vicinity of the military installationcausing material damage but without leaving people injured, as confirmed by the authorities.
The attack occurred at 9:04 p.m. A car with explosives exploded near the Agustín Codazzi battalion, sending chairs and objects from a nearby restaurant flying. None of the people present were injured..
The authorities and the governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, announced a security council and reinforced operations to capture those responsible. The incident was part of a series of explosions that increase concern about violence in the region.
The explosion caused panic among dozens of diners in the adjacent restaurant. A security camera recorded how the shock wave moved the premises and disordered the furniture, while those present tried to understand the situation.
The battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pedro Leguizamón, indicated to The Time that the explosion was caused by a “appropriate vehicle with explosive devices”. Although the explosion was powerful and was heard in nearby areas, authorities reiterated that no one was injured; but it did cause damage to the battalion’s internal infrastructure.
This attack was part of a night marked by several explosions in different parts of Valle del Cauca.
The governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, expressed on her social networks a categorical rejection of the events. He declared that “They are unacceptable terrorist acts that confirm that the Valley is facing an escalation of violence that cannot wait”.
Toro announced the urgent convening of an extraordinary security council, scheduled for the morning of April 25, with the participation of the Public Force. He explained that the objective would be to evaluate the situation there and take concrete measures against terrorist violence.
“To the National Government, headed by President Gustavo Petro, I make an urgent and forceful call:The Valley cannot continue alone in this fight. We need real, sustained and effective support… “More public force, more intelligence and clear actions against the criminal structures that operate in our territory today (sic)”Toro stated in dialogue with the aforementioned media.
The official sent a message to those responsible for the attack. “I tell those responsible clearly: we are going to pursue them until we capture them,” Toro emphasized in statements collected by The Time.
The attack against the Agustín Codazzi battalion adds to a recent chain of violent events in Valle del Cauca. The simultaneous attacks were classified as “terrorist acts” by the authorities and have generated social alarm.
Governor Dilian Francisca Toro stated before The Time that his administration will not allow violence to alter the stability of the region.
The extraordinary security council will seek to coordinate rapid actions with the Public Force to identify and arrest those responsible.
Toro insisted that no organization will be able to advance in Valle del Cauca through violence. As a result of these events, the authorities reinforced controls and surveillance in Palmira and surrounding municipalities.
The institutional commitment is to maintain the security and tranquility of the population, he reported. The Time. The firm reaction of local authorities seeks to prevent the action of violent groups and strengthen citizen confidence in the state’s response capacity.
The authorities of Valle del Cauca reiterated that they will not give space to those who try to alter public order or threaten the safety of the inhabitants.
