An armed man burst into the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) headquarters in Cartagena, firing at bodyguards during a leadership meeting. The incident injured three people, including a bodyguard, and the attacker was apprehended by security personnel. While police probe it as a potential robbery, the USO suspects a targeted attack on its leaders.
On Friday afternoon, an armed man entered the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) headquarters in Cartagena and attempted to intimidate those present. At that time, on the third floor, a meeting was underway between members of the National Board of Directors and the local subdirectorate, chaired by national president Martín Ravelo, along with figures like treasurer Daniel Sosa and fiscal José Marín Moreno from Huila.
José Marín Moreno recounted that the intruder, seemingly disguised, drew his weapon and shot a bodyguard in the leg. "The subject immediately drew (the weapon) and shot the bodyguard in the leg," he explained. The bodyguards reacted swiftly, chasing the man about 100 meters until apprehending him, during which two bystanders near a shopping center were also injured.
In total, three civilians were hurt: the wounded bodyguard was taken to a nearby medical center, while the other two suffered injuries outside the building. The attacker was taken into police custody. Although authorities initially classify it as a robbery, the USO views it as a deliberate assault, particularly given the recent rise in threats from armed groups against its leaders.
In a statement, the union stressed: "For the USO, nothing is coincidental; we are a deeply victimized organization that refuses to add more attacks on the lives of its leadership." They called for a thorough investigation by Ecopetrol's security and authorities to clarify the motives, noting the presence of national leaders at the time of the incident.