BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian officials are blaming rebels for a power outage at the country’s main port of Buenaventura.
Adm. Pablo Romero commands the naval force based in the Pacific port and he says authorities believe a rebel attack downed a key transmission tower. He says officials also believe that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia caused a similar attack in November that knocked out power to the city for three days.
Power company spokeswoman Patricia Hernandez says electricity to the city of 400,000 was lost at 8 p.m. Monday (0100 GMT Tuesday). She says workers are trying to restore power as quickly as possible while the army is trying to ensure they can work safely.
Colombia’s government has been holding peace talks with the rebels since 2012 to end the half-century-old conflict.
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