Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot three times, including twice in the head, during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday. The 39-year-old was attacked while addressing supporters in a public park in the capital’s Fontibón district.
According to police, a 15-year-old suspect was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody. Authorities have not yet confirmed the motive behind the shooting.
Footage shared on social media appears to show the moment Uribe Turbay was struck mid-speech, triggering panic and chaos as the crowd dispersed. Emergency responders on the scene said the senator had been shot in the head and knee before being airlifted to a nearby hospital. A large crowd of supporters gathered outside the medical facility to hold a vigil as he underwent emergency surgery.
Uribe’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, called on the nation to pray for his recovery. “Miguel is currently fighting for his life,” she said in a statement. “Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him.”
Uribe’s party, the right-leaning Centro Democrático, condemned the attack, describing it as a direct assault on Colombia’s democracy and freedom. The party, founded by former President Álvaro Uribe (no relation), has positioned itself as a strong opposition voice to the current administration.
President Gustavo Petro’s government also denounced the shooting in strong terms. “This is an act of violence not only against a person, but against democracy itself,” the presidency said in a statement. In a televised address, Petro urged Colombians to unite in support of Uribe’s recovery. “What matters most today is that Dr. Miguel Uribe stays alive,” he said, calling it a “day of pain” for the country.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez called the shooting a “vile attack” and announced a substantial reward for information leading to those responsible. International condemnation followed quickly, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling the incident a “direct threat to democracy.” Rubio also blamed what he called “violent leftist rhetoric” for fueling political tensions, though he did not cite specific examples.
Uribe Turbay is a rising figure in Colombian politics and a vocal critic of the Petro administration. He announced his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election last October and has served in the Senate since 2022. He comes from a well-known political family. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during a failed rescue mission while being held by the Medellín drug cartel led by Pablo Escobar.
Colombia is set to hold presidential elections on May 31, 2026. The attack on Uribe has intensified national debate over political violence and security in the run-up to the vote.
