The city of Cúcuta sits on the Colombia-Venezuela border; it has grown as a commercial hub and political flashpoint in the region.
Two separate bomb attacks have marred Abelardo de la Espriella’s first week in office, killing at least one officer and wounding others. The army has attributed one tollbooth blast near Cali to dissident FARC factions and reported a drone strike on a police station in Cesar. De la Espriella has pledged a forceful crackdown and the US has pledged a $1bn security package.