Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot and injured during a campaign rally in Bogota on Saturday. The senator, who is seen as a potential candidate for the upcoming presidential election in 2026, was attacked in the Fontibon neighborhood while speaking to supporters.
The right-wing Democratic Center party, which Uribe Turbay is a member of, condemned the shooting as "an unacceptable act of violence." Reports indicate that armed assailants shot him from behind, leaving him critically wounded. Images shared on social media showed Uribe Turbay covered in blood and being helped by bystanders. He was rushed to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where doctors reported he is undergoing serious surgery.
His wife, María Claudia Tarazona, took to social media to ask Colombians to pray for his recovery, stating, "Miguel is fighting for his life." The shooting also injured two others, and authorities confirmed that a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene with a firearm.
Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office is investigating the incident. President Gustavo Petro expressed his outrage on social media, stating that "respect life, that’s the red line." He canceled a planned trip to France after the attack and promised a thorough investigation into the shooting and any lapses in security for the senator.
Uribe Turbay, 39, is the son of a journalist who was kidnapped and killed in 1991, a tragic event that highlights the ongoing violence in Colombia. Following the attack, police chief Gen. Carlos Triana noted that Uribe Turbay was accompanied by other officials and supporters at the time of the shooting.
In response to the violence, Colombia’s government has offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez has ordered military and police forces to use all available resources to clarify the situation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attack, calling it an attempted assassination and urging President Petro to tone down the heated rhetoric coming from his administration. He emphasized that this type of violence poses a threat to democracy in Colombia.
Reactions have poured in from across Latin America. Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa both condemned the violence and expressed support for Uribe Turbay’s family. Former President Alvaro Uribe, a prominent figure in Colombian politics and Miguel’s father, described the attack as an assault on hope for the country.
As the investigation unfolds, many are left wondering how such violence can occur in a political landscape that is already fraught with tension and division. The attack raises serious concerns about the safety of public officials and the state of democracy in Colombia as the nation approaches its next presidential election.