A large financial reward for information on the attackers of the plane of the President of Colombia

The Colombian government has allocated a large financial reward to anyone who provides information that helps in the arrest of those involved in an attack on a helicopter carrying President Ivan Duque near the Venezuelan border.

This came in statements by Defense Minister Diego Molano in a video filmed in the northern city of Cucuta, on Saturday, according to Agence France-Presse.
The minister announced a reward of up to 3 billion pesos (approximately $795,000) for anyone who leads to find those responsible for the “terrorist attack”.

On Friday, the Colombian president said a helicopter he was traveling in was hit by several bullets in the attack.

Duque said in a video message that the accident occurred while the plane was flying through the Catatumbo region towards the city of Cucuta, capital of Norte de Santander province.

The restive Catatumbo region on Colombia’s border with Venezuela is home to the coca crop, the main ingredient in cocaine.

The leftist National Liberation Army and former fighters of the leftist armed forces group (FARC), who reject the 2016 peace agreement with the government, are active in that region, as well as armed criminal groups involved in drug smuggling.