A powerful car bomb detonated in the northeastern Colombian city of Arauca early today, killing two police officers and injuring eight civilians just hours before the scheduled visit of President Mr Alvaro Uribe.
It was the third urban car bomb attack in Colombia in as many weeks. Police have blamed all of the attacks on the country's Marxist-inspired rebels, who appear to be challenging the president's hard-line security agenda.
Authorities said it was not clear whether the two police, officers one of whom was an explosives expert, had accidentally triggered the blast when approaching the suspicious vehicle.
The explosion caused material damage to a nearby school and hospital, some 215 miles (350 km) northeast of Bogota.
"We cannot get on our knees, we cannot lose our motivation over these violent acts. These actions have been taking place for many years ... but with the country united, we will move forward," said Defense Minister Mr Marta Lucia Ramirez.