Two Colombian nationals were sentenced, on Sept. 12, to decades in prison for their roles in a 2021 car bombing outside a U.S. military base near the Colombia–Venezuela border, an attack that injured three U.S. Army soldiers and 44 Colombian military personnel.
“Our most urgent mission and highest priority is to hold those accountable who target Americans, to include the brave men and women who serve as members of our uniformed services domestically and around the world,” U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida said in a press release. “As seen by the prison sentences imposed upon defendants … today, individuals who threaten the safety and security of the United States and our fellow Americans will face the full force of our nation’s criminal justice system.”
Andres Fernando Medina Rodriguez, 40, and Ciro Alfonso Gutierrez Ballesteros, 31, were sentenced to 35 and 30 years in prison, respectively, for conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. soldiers. The attack took place outside the Colombian 30th Army Brigade Base in Cúcuta, Colombia, where both U.S. and Colombian military forces were stationed.
According to court documents, the two men were working with the 33rd Front, an extremist faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Their plan specifically targeted American soldiers stationed at the military base, the court documents state.
Medina Rodriguez, a medically discharged Colombian army officer, leveraged his former military status to infiltrate the base, conducting reconnaissance missions where he photographed and videotaped the areas where U.S. soldiers were stationed.
His military background allowed him to move relatively freely within the base, providing crucial intelligence for the attack, according to court documents.
Approximately 10 days before the bombing, Medina Rodriguez and Gutierrez Ballesteros delivered a white SUV to their FARC co-conspirators, who then loaded the vehicle with explosives. The SUV was chosen as the primary weapon in a planned vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack.
On June 15, 2021, Medina Rodriguez drove the bomb-laden SUV to the 30th Army Brigade Base. Gutierrez Ballesteros, on a motorcycle, escorted him to ensure the operation went smoothly. Once Medina Rodriguez reached the base, he parked the vehicle near an area frequently used by both U.S. and Colombian military personnel.
After parking the SUV, Medina Rodriguez activated the bomb’s timer and fled the area on foot. He later escaped on the motorcycle with Gutierrez Ballesteros, and the bomb detonated shortly after. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said despite the significant injuries and damage, there were no fatalities.
The FBI, in coordination with Colombian authorities, including the Fiscalía General de la Nación de Colombia and the Colombian National Police, launched a comprehensive investigation following the bombing.
Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI’s Miami Field Office highlighted the international collaboration necessary to bring the conspirators to justice.
“Crime doesn’t stop at our borders, and neither does the FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against our military overseas,” Veltri said. “We work closely with our international partners and security services around the globe to conduct complex investigations and acquire evidence from abroad for criminal prosecutions in the United States. This capability is vital to our work.”
The men fled Colombia for Venezuela after the bombing and were tracked down by international authorities and were arrested in Colombia as part of an international manhunt.
U.S. authorities worked with the Colombian government to secure their extradition to the United States, where they faced the charges they were sentenced on this week.
Both men were charged with conspiracy to murder U.S. military personnel and attempted murder of U.S. soldiers.
The DOJ emphasized that the sentences are part of a broader effort to ensure that anyone who targets American soldiers will be brought to justice, regardless of the location or complexity of the crime.
