Colombian vice president’s car shot at

Colombian vice president’s car shot at – she was elsewhere

Márquez urges EMC guerrillas to “let the people of Cauca live in peace and move on”

Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez’s car, which she often travels in, came under fire on Wednesday, according to reports from the southwestern city of Suárez, her hometown, although the target was not in the vehicle at the time of the attack.

“My security and protection team has informed me that the main vehicle of the vice presidential motorcade, which I normally ride in, was hit by a projectile that appeared to have come from a rifle, which penetrated the interior of the vehicle but did not cause harm to the occupants,” Marquez said.

Márquez, who is also the Minister of Equality, explained that the incident took place on the same day that she was visiting the new headquarters of the University of Valle together with the Minister of Education, Aurora Vergara. “I was already in the city of Cali on another mission when the attack took place,” she explained.

“We do not have to mourn any victims in this event, but I must express my deep concern about the situation in Cauca and the constant tensions that the people of the region face every day. We are here to bring a public university to Suárez and we will not stop in this effort for the future of our people,” the Vice President also noted, urging all armed groups operating in the region, especially the main dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the Central General Staff (EMC), to “let Cauca live in peace and move forward”.

Her father, Sigifredo Márquez, was similarly attacked in June while traveling with his 6-year-old grandson in a nearby rural area. In addition, in January 2023, a “device containing more than 7 kilograms of explosives” was found on Márquez’s estate.

Prior to his election, Marquez was an environmental activist and attorney focused on these issues.

For more than two months, military and police facilities in the departments of Cauca and Valle del Cauca have been hit by electromagnetic pulse attacks.