Colombia Security
Key Facts
·Who. RCN, a major Colombian private broadcaster, in Cali; President Abelardo de la Espriella.
·What. A blast outside its offices at about 03:35 on Wednesday 11 November 2026 hurt nobody.
·Order. The president ordered the security forces and intelligence agencies to find those responsible.
·Reward. Cali’s mayor offered up to 20 million pesos (about US$6,100); a larger total is reported but unconfirmed.
·Power Index. Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.1 points (November 2026 edition).
·As of 11 November 2026, 22:00 GMT
An explosive device went off outside the Cali headquarters of RCN, a major Colombian private broadcaster, in the early hours of Wednesday 11 November 2026. Nobody was hurt, and President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered the security forces and intelligence agencies to find those responsible.
Cali is Colombia’s third-largest city. Its mayor offered a reward of up to 20 million pesos (about US$6,100, at roughly 3,280 pesos per dollar on 11 November) for information on the attackers.
What Happened in Cali
The blast came at about 03:35 local time at Carrera 8 and Calle 30, in the Industrial Los Mangos neighbourhood, where RCN’s television news channel, Noticias RCN, and RCN Radio work. Accounts differ on how the device arrived, and some reports say two men on a motorcycle threw it.
Police are also investigating an account that two people on a motorcycle left a package that then exploded. Damage was limited to windows and masonry, and nobody was injured.
What the President and Officials Said
President De la Espriella said he had ordered the security forces and intelligence agencies to deploy all their capabilities to identify, locate and capture those responsible as soon as possible. Cali’s city government and police said they reinforced security at local media offices.
Mayor Alejandro Eder of Cali announced the reward of up to 20 million pesos. Governor Dilian Francisca Toro of Valle del Cauca, the region around Cali, was reported to have added 30 million pesos (about US$9,100) for a total of up to 50 million (about US$15,200), which is not confirmed.
The Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP), a Colombian press-rights group, said that attacking an outlet endangers those who report. FLIP counts at least four explosive attacks on the building since November 2025.
Arrests Are Disputed
Reports conflict on whether anyone is in custody. One account says two men were captured, while Cali police said the two men they stopped after the attack had no link to it and were released.
No armed group has been officially blamed for the attack. The two men stopped after the attack are not confirmed as suspects.
Earlier Threats
RCN’s Cali offices were hit by an explosive attack in November 2025. Days before this attack, on Saturday 7 November 2026, the Bogotá headquarters of rival broadcaster Caracol Televisión was evacuated after a warning from authorities.
What It Means for You
For US readers, this is an early test of how Colombia’s new government protects journalists. The reward and the presidential order show the response, but no suspect has been confirmed.
Two checkpoints matter: whether police confirm an arrest, and whether the reward produces leads. Who is behind the attack remains open.
What Is Not Known
Who threw or left the device is not known, and neither is the motive. Whether the two men who were stopped had any role is also unknown.
Whether the attack is linked to the recent threats against other outlets is not confirmed. It is also unclear whether the device was thrown or left.
Our report on the security response to threats against Colombian media covers the earlier warnings, and our guide to Colombia’s media landscape explains the main outlets. Wider coverage is on our Colombia page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at RCN in Cali?
An explosive device went off outside RCN’s Cali headquarters at about 03:35 on 11 November 2026. Nobody was injured, and damage was limited to windows and masonry.
What did President De la Espriella do?
He said he had ordered the security forces and intelligence agencies to identify and capture those responsible. Cali’s city government and police said they reinforced security at local media offices.
How much is the reward?
The mayor of Cali offered up to 20 million pesos (about US$6,100). A total of up to 50 million pesos (about US$15,200) with the governor’s share has been reported but is not confirmed.
Sources
Presidency of Colombia, post by President Abelardo de la Espriella on X, 11 November 2026 (presidencia.gov.co); Mayor of Cali and Governor of Valle del Cauca, statements of 11 November 2026; Foundation for Press Freedom, statement of 11 November 2026 (flip.org.co); Cali Metropolitan Police. Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Hectorangelazul (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Gersonparra11 (CC BY-SA 3.0).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error