Bombing threat in Bogotá forces evacuation of Noticias Caracol and Caracol Radio
Media outlets in Bogotá evacuated their staff following alerts of possible attacks by illegal groups. The Metropolitan Police ruled out explosives at the facilities.
Evacuation of media outlets in Bogotá following bombing alert; police find no explosives
Saturday evening left several media outlets in Bogotá on alert after authorities warned of possible attacks by illegal groups. According to pulzo.com, the Metropolitan Police of Bogotá confirmed through a brief statement that no explosives were found either in the surrounding area or inside Noticias Caracol. "At this time there is no evidence of explosives," the authorities indicated.
Noticias Caracol activates contingency plan
The situation unfolded after authorities alerted Noticias Caracol to the alleged intention of illegal groups to carry out an attack against the channel. The media outlet communicated this through its X account, noting that it proceeded to immediately evacuate its staff and adopted measures to protect both workers and facilities. In its statement, the channel specified that any additional information about the incident would be provided exclusively by the competent authorities.
Caracol Radio also received the alert
Noticias Caracol was not the only media outlet affected. Caracol Radio reported that it had been notified "about the risk of a possible attack against our company and other media outlets" and took preventive measures to protect its editorial team, collaborators and visitors. The company stressed the importance of defending press freedom as a pillar of democracy, and announced that it would maintain composure and steadfastness, prioritising informative coverage for the country.
Mayor convenes intelligence bodies at CI3
The Mayor's Office of Bogotá, through the Secretary of Security, César Restrepo, representing Mayor Galán, confirmed that the alert was shared by the Technical Investigation Body (CTI) of the Attorney General's Office. Restrepo immediately convened intelligence and security bodies at the Integrated Information and Intelligence Centre (CI3), with the aim of analysing the threat in a coordinated manner and deepening understanding of its scope.
Ombudsman demands clarification of the facts
The Ombudsman, Iris Marín, expressed her solidarity with the affected journalists and demanded that authorities clarify the facts as soon as possible. Marín emphasised the need to reject all forms of intimidation or violence against the press, and recalled that guaranteeing the safety of journalists and the freedom of information is an essential function of the State and of any democracy.
Source: Google News CO — Bogotá