Updated: Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Shot at Campaign Rally \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot and wounded during a campaign rally in Bogotá. The conservative lawmaker and presidential hopeful remains in critical condition, according to his wife. Authorities arrested a 15-year-old suspect and launched a full investigation into the attempted assassination.
Quick Looks
- Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay shot twice in Bogotá park.
- Attack occurred during a campaign rally in Fontibón.
- His wife said Uribe is “fighting for his life.”
- A 15-year-old suspect was arrested with a firearm.
- Two others were wounded during the attack.
- Colombian President Petro canceled trip to France in response.
- Defense Minister ordered full military intelligence deployment.
- Former President Álvaro Uribe, not related, condemned the attack.
- Presidential election set for May 31, 2026.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the violence.
Deep Look
The political landscape in Colombia was rocked on Saturday when Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a rising conservative star and declared presidential candidate for the 2026 elections, was shot during a campaign rally in Bogotá. The assassination attempt — carried out in broad daylight at a public park in the Fontibón neighborhood — marks one of the most dramatic and troubling incidents of political violence in the country’s post-conflict era.
Uribe Turbay, 39, a member of the Democratic Center party founded by former President Álvaro Uribe (no relation), had just begun addressing supporters when gunshots rang out. Authorities confirmed that the senator was struck twice by bullets and remains in critical condition. The senator’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, posted a deeply emotional plea for prayers, stating on his social media account that “Miguel is fighting for his life.”
The chaos that followed saw two others injured, including one of Uribe’s campaign staffers. Colombian police quickly apprehended a 15-year-old male suspect, found at the scene with a firearm and reportedly suffering a leg wound. While the minor’s role is under investigation, authorities have not ruled out the possibility that the attack was coordinated or that the teenager acted under instruction from more experienced criminals or politically motivated actors.
The Attorney General’s Office launched an immediate criminal investigation and confirmed that the senator’s injuries were life-threatening. The office did not speculate on a motive, but its swift response underscores the gravity of the situation — a direct attack on a high-profile public official and leading presidential contender just over a year ahead of Colombia’s next general election.
Colombia has endured decades of violence tied to narcotrafficking, guerrilla insurgencies, and paramilitary operations, but recent years had brought some measure of political stability following the 2016 peace deal with the FARC. That fragile peace now feels under renewed threat. The shooting of Uribe Turbay may well be a grim signal that politically motivated violence is returning to Colombia’s democratic process — and potentially escalating.
President Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president and a frequent ideological adversary of Uribe Turbay, condemned the violence on social media. “Respect life, that’s the red line,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter), in a post that was widely shared across Latin America. In an unusual but significant move, Petro canceled a scheduled state visit to France, citing the seriousness of the attack. His decision was seen as a rare gesture of political solidarity amid deep partisan divides.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez ordered Colombia’s military and police forces to immediately mobilize their intelligence divisions to uncover who was behind the assassination attempt. “All capabilities must be deployed,” he declared, as security forces established heightened presence in Bogotá and other key cities.
The attack also drew sharp criticism from abroad. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio — a close ally of Uribe Turbay and vocal opponent of Petro’s government — condemned the shooting in the “strongest possible terms.” Rubio took the opportunity to criticize what he called “violent leftist rhetoric” coming from Colombia’s ruling coalition, claiming it had created an atmosphere where such violence could take root. He also urged President Petro to protect opposition voices, not inflame partisan tension.
Latin American leaders added their voices to the chorus of concern. Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa both issued statements affirming their rejection of political violence, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding democracy across the region.
At home, former President Álvaro Uribe, one of the most influential conservative figures in Colombia, said: “They attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, father, son, brother, a great colleague.” The emotional response reinforced the sense of deep personal and national injury felt by many Colombians.
The legacy of violence in Uribe Turbay’s own family adds even greater emotional weight to the attack. His mother, Diana Turbay, was a respected journalist who was kidnapped and ultimately killed during a botched rescue operation in 1991, during Colombia’s darkest era of cartel domination and guerrilla warfare. Miguel Uribe has spoken openly about how that loss shaped his worldview, pushing him into public service and strengthening his resolve to combat violence and protect democratic institutions.
Just three months ago, Uribe Turbay formally launched his presidential campaign, presenting himself as a candidate who would restore security, strengthen state institutions, and push back against what he and his supporters describe as the overreach of Petro’s leftist agenda. His platform focuses heavily on law and order, anti-corruption reforms, and economic liberalization, resonating with Colombians wary of the country’s economic challenges and rising urban crime.
Saturday’s shooting now injects volatility into what was already expected to be a highly polarized and contentious 2026 election cycle. With Uribe Turbay hospitalized and his political future uncertain, the opposition is faced with a moment of both vulnerability and renewed urgency. The attempt on his life has galvanized conservative voters and intensified scrutiny of the Petro government’s response to political dissent.
Questions loom over whether this act was an isolated incident or the beginning of a darker trend — one where electoral violence becomes a tool of political control or intimidation. Political analysts warn that unless the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice, the credibility of Colombia’s democratic system could be at stake.
For now, Colombians — across party lines — wait for updates on Uribe Turbay’s condition, hoping for his recovery and calling for a return to civility in political discourse. His survival may determine not only the shape of the upcoming election but the direction of Colombia’s democratic future.
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