In a troubling sign for Colombia's new hardline president Abelardo de la Espriella, a car bomb attack targeted a toll plaza on the Pan-American Highway in the country's southwest, just one day after his inauguration. The military alleges that the Saturday attack was carried out by two armed groups that splintered from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a former rebel group that disarmed after a peace deal with the government in 2016. Two security guards reported minor injuries, and the administration has vowed a stern response to this act of violence. The attack comes as de la Espriella pledges to "defeat narco-terrorism" and crack down on criminal activity, having campaigned on a promise to lead a tougher stance against armed groups. For over six decades, Colombia has been embroiled in an internal armed conflict between right-wing paramilitaries, left-wing rebels, government forces, and criminal networks. De la Espriella, a political newcomer who narrowly defeated his leftist opponent Senator Ivan Cepeda in a June run-off election, is likely to face challenges addressing these deeply entrenched issues during his four-year term. The US President Donald Trump has pledged $1bn in security aid, supporting de la Espriella's plans to use more militarized approaches, including bombing boats and planes suspected of carrying illicit drugs. However, rights groups have raised concerns about potential rights abuses by government forces under this hardline strategy.