Colombia has offered a record $1.4 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Iván Jacob Idrobo Arredondo, also known as 'Marlon,' accused of ordering a bombing that killed 21 people and wounded dozens more. The attack occurred Saturday on a motorway in the Cauca region, southwest Colombia, where a 650-foot crater was left by the explosion. Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez called Marlon a 'terrorist' and described the attack as 'brutal and ruthless.'
The bombing was one of 26 attacks targeting public infrastructure in the Valle del Cauca and Cauca regions over two days, according to the country's armed forces. Authorities say the attack was carried out by the FARC-EMC, a dissident group led by Iván Mordisco, who refused to join a 2016 peace deal with the government. President Gustavo Petro has labeled the attackers 'terrorists' and 'fascists,' vowing to confront them with Colombia's best soldiers.
The violence has raised security concerns ahead of Colombia's presidential election on May 31, with crime expected to be a top voter issue. Analysts suggest Mordisco's group may be seeking to establish leverage for future negotiations with the next government.