On July 10, according to local Colombian media reports, the national security situation in Colombia has deteriorated, and the vehicle normally used by the country's Vice President Francia Márquez was shot at in the Cauca region in southwestern Colombia.

According to Colombian authorities, the incident occurred near the Cauca region, and the vehicle was hit by bullets that possibly came from a rifle. Fortunately, the Vice President was attending an event elsewhere at the time and was not in the vehicle, and the incident caused no casualties.

Although there were no casualties, the incident highlights the long-standing violent conflict and complex security situation in the region. In addition, reports say that a Colombian Army "Black Hawk" helicopter was hit during an operation against anti-government armed groups in Cauca Department, and the helicopter was severely damaged. There are no casualty reports from aboard the helicopter for now, but 2 soldiers were injured during ground operations.

No organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but Colombian authorities blame it on a branch of the anti-government armed group "Central General Staff (EMC)" and believe that the EMC has been causing a surge in violence in Cauca Department and Valle del Cauca Department, making this a major area for the drug trade.

It is understood that Cauca Department is located in southwestern Colombia and has long been a center of activity for left-wing anti-government armed groups, drug trafficking groups and right-wing paramilitary organizations. Because the terrain here is relatively complex, the Colombian government's control over this area is limited.

In recent years, the Colombian government has signed peace agreements with some rebel groups, but violence in Cauca Department and Valle del Cauca Department has still not been fully quelled, and in some areas it has even shown a worsening trend. And Valle del Cauca Department, as early as the beginning of June, was in a state of highest alert due to armed groupsfrequently creating unrest.

And Cauca Department and Valle del Cauca, where this incident took place, are also important coffee-producing regions in Colombia, with these two regions producing about 140,000 tonnes of coffee each year. In addition, within these two coffee-producing regions there are also quite a few well-known estates, such as Paraiso, Inmaculada and Cafe Granja La Esperanza, thus attracting many coffee traders and bean hunters to travel to the area.

Earlier, the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) reported that in the first half of this year, Colombia's coffee production reached 5.82 million bags (60 kg/bag), a year-on-year increase of 16%. In addition, coffee export volume also grew by 15%, the best performance in recent years.

In this incident, the Colombian government may step up military operations in the region. Once a large-scale armed conflict breaks out, it could deal a severe blow to the coffee industry in this producing region, leading to a decline in coffee output there. In addition, Colombia's important export port, the Port of Buenaventura, is located in Valle del Cauca Department and accounts for 32% of Colombia's national export volume. At the same time, a considerable amount of Colombian coffee is exported through this port. An outbreak of conflict could damage infrastructure such as roads in the region, ultimately affecting exports.

Moreover, this attack on the vice president's motorcade has drawn attention from multiple parties. The United Nations, the United States and the European Union, among others, expressed support for the Colombian government and stated that peace and stability in Colombia are crucial to all of Latin America, supporting Colombia's efforts to combat violent crime. China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated that China supports the Colombian government in resolving differences with relevant armed groups through negotiations.