Colombia sent a commission to Argentina to investigate a bomb threat against a former Colombian president, Wednesday.
Colombian General Oscar Naranjo said, “We’ve contacted the Argentinian authorities and recently sent a commission of investigators to coordinate with authorities in Buenos Aires. The commission will further investigations into the way, time, and place that black powder artifacts were installed to sabotage the conference of ex-president Alvaro Uribe.” reported local media.
Last Tuesday a bomb was found in a lighting fixture in the Gran Rex theater in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, where former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was scheduled to appear.
Argentinian police spokesperson Nestor Rodriquez said, “These pyrotechnic devices have a reactive load that contain about 50 grams of black powder each. […] These kinds of noise making bombs are designed to produce extremely loud noises while causing little physical damage,” read the police statement.
The Argentinian judge in charge of the investigation, Norberto Oyarbide, confirmed Rodriquez’s statements saying the devices were, “pirotechnique types[…] designed to produce noise,” but with “mild,” destructive potential.
On his Twitter account, current Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos asked authorities to, “get to the bottom,” of the bomb threat. Santos also said “The government is doing and will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of President Uribe and his family.”
Despite the bomb threat Uribe attended the Gran Rex theater conference. According to reports, during his appearance a group of people formed outside the theatre protesting the former president’s visit to Argentina. Protesters called Uribe a “murderer,” and called for peace in Colombia. Uribe left the conference under police escort.
Uribe is noted for his strong military stance against left wing guerrilla groups in Colombia and has been accused of links to Colombia’s right wing paramilitary groups.