Colombia defense minister warns of 'terrorism' threat at presidential inauguration

Colombia's outgoing defense minister warned Wednesday of possible "acts of terrorism" during the upcoming inauguration of president-elect Abelardo De la Espriella.

The ceremony is set to be held Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, which has recently been affected by guerrilla attacks.

De la Espriella, 48, had asked Congress to move the event from the capital Bogota to the country's third-largest city despite its proximity to areas under the control of rebel groups.

The hard-right candidate narrowly won the June presidential runoff by taking a hardline stance against the various armed groups, vowing to dismantle his predecessor Gustavo Petro's "total peace" strategy of negotiating with guerrillas.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday there is a "threat" of attacks on the day of the ceremony, which will be attended by several heads of state, including the presidents of Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Ecuador, as well as Spain's King Felipe VI, among others.

"Most likely these criminals would attempt to disrupt this democratic event with acts of terrorism," Sanchez told radio broadcaster La FM.

Colombia's armed forces will deploy 11,000 troops to secure the event, and officials have banned drone flights over the city and nearby areas, as they have been used by guerrilla groups in the past to drop explosives.

In the department of Cauca, near Cali, a dissident faction of the FARC guerrilla group operates under the command of Ivan Mordisco, the alias of Colombia's most wanted guerrilla leader.

De la Espriella reportedly wanted to hold his inauguration in Cauca but later changed his mind, citing weather conditions.