An aura of mystery and pain surrounds the tragic accident that occurred last Friday, December 19, on the neuralgic road that connects Buga with the port of Buenaventura. What began as a family trip full of laughter and everyday life ended in a fatality that has shocked the entire Valle del Cauca and Colombia. Diego Fernando Suárez and Lina Marcela Díaz, a married couple dedicated to commerce, lost their lives instantly, leaving behind a video that today is interpreted as a premonitory farewell.
The “goodbye” video: “Bye, Julio”
Minutes before the fatal outcome, the atmosphere inside the family vehicle was completely calm. In the images that circulate on social networks and that have been verified by the traffic authorities, you can see how Lina Marcela records her eldest son, Julio, who was outside the car at that moment.
With a loving tone and laughing, the mother is heard saying: “Bye, Julio,” while the little boy said goodbye to them. Nobody in that cabin suspected that this daily gesture would become the last visual memory of the couple. Julio, due to an apparent “miracle” or chance of fate, was not inside the car at the exact moment of the strongest impact, a detail that today allows him to tell the story.
Details of the accident: A devastating impact
The accident occurred in the sector known as Córdoba, at kilometer 109 of the Buga-Buenaventura highway. According to the preliminary report of the Valle Transit and Transportation Section, the Suárez Díaz family’s private vehicle was trapped in the middle of two heavy-duty vehicles.
Witnesses in the area reported that traffic was flowing slowly due to weather conditions and the high influx of tractor-trailers. Apparently, a tractor-trailer transporting cement failed to stop in time, violently colliding with the rear of the family car and projecting it into another cargo vehicle that was in front. The scene was described by rescuers as “shocking”: the car was reduced to a mass of twisted cans under the chassis of the truck.
The miraculous survival of minors
Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, the community of Buenaventura speaks of a miracle. In addition to Julio, who was saved by being outside the vehicle moments before, another minor who was inside the car managed to be rescued alive by the community and relief agencies.
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“Only screams and the urgency for help could be heard,” said a resident of the Córdoba sector who helped in the first aid efforts. The minor was immediately transferred to a care center in Buenaventura where, according to the latest medical report, he is out of life-threatening danger, although under strict medical observation and psychological support due to the strong emotional and physical trauma suffered.
Who were Diego and Lina?
The news has hit the Bellavista neighborhood and surrounding sectors in the port hard. Diego Fernando Suárez and Lina Marcela Díaz were not strangers; They were the owners of a well-known supermarket in the area.
“This tragedy, you can’t imagine the intense pain we feel throughout the neighborhood. They were hard-working, kind people and very loved by all their clients,” said Ana Rosa Torres, a neighbor and close friend of the family in an interview with local media. The couple’s commercial work had turned them into familiar and respected faces, which has generated a wave of solidarity on social networks under the cry for justice and greater road safety in this corridor.
Security Analysis: A High Risk Path
The Buga-Buenaventura corridor is one of the most important road arteries for Colombia’s economy, but also one of the most dangerous. Factors such as:
Excess heavy cargo: The constant flow of tractor trailers towards the port increases the risk of large-scale accidents.
Climatic conditions: The intense rains recorded in recent days in Valle del Cauca have made the asphalt slippery, making it difficult for heavy vehicles to brake.
Road maintenance: The community has repeatedly reported critical points where signage or the state of the road could contribute to these outcomes.
The traffic authorities have initiated a technical investigation to determine if there was a mechanical failure in the tractor involved or if the accident was due to recklessness on the part of one of the drivers.
“Chao, Julio”: Family that died in a tragic accident in Buenaventura recorded the moment of the crash
#SHOCKING. Tragic accident that occurred last December 19 between Buga-B/ventura, cgto/Córdoba, has taken an even more painful turn: a family traveling to the sea was in the middle of a traffic jam when they allowed one of their children to get out of the vehicle to urinate on the side of the road… https://t.co/U7RIoMccvU pic.twitter.com/o63ScDZkbI
— Colombia Oscura (@ColombiaOscura) December 21, 2025