Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay shot at a rally in Bogotá.
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By Christina Thykjaer & Euronews en español with AP
Published on 08/06/2025
Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a possible candidate in next year's presidential elections, was shot and wounded at a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday, officials say. His party, the conservative Democratic Centre, issued a statement calling the incident "an unacceptable act of violence".
The attack occurred in a park in the Fontibon neighbourhood when armed assailants shot him in the back, said the Democratic Centre party, the party of former president Alvaro Uribe (not related).
Images circulating on social media show Uribe Turbay, 39, covered in blood and held by several people. A medical statement from the Fundación Santa Fe hospital said the senator was admitted in critical condition and is undergoing a "neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure".
"Miguel is fighting for his life," his wife, María Claudia Tarazona, wrote on the senator's X account, asking Colombians to pray for him. The Attorney General's Office, which is investigating the attack, said the senator was shot twice in the attack, which also left two other people injured. According to the entity's statement, a 15-year-old teenager was arrested at the scene with a firearm.
The Colombian government announced that it is offering a reward for the capture of all those responsible. "Respect life, that is the red line," wrote President Gustavo Petro in a message on his X account. Shortly after that post, Petro cancelled a planned trip to France "due to the seriousness of the events", according to a presidential statement.
Late Saturday night, after leading an extraordinary session of the Security Council, the first leftist president in Colombia's history promised "total transparency" in the investigation and to get to the intellectual authors of the attack. He also announced an investigation into possible lapses in the senator's security detail.
Son of a journalist who was kidnapped and murdered
Uribe Turbay is the son of a journalist who was kidnapped and murdered in 1991 during one of the country' s most violent periods. Colombia will hold presidential elections on 31 May 2026, at the end of Petro's term. The senator announced his presidential candidacy in March.
The director of the National Police, General Carlos Triana, said that at the time of the attack, Uribe Turbay was accompanied by councillor Andrés Barrios and 20 other people. A minor who allegedly participated in the attack was captured at the scene and was being treated for a leg injury, he said.
Reactions were swift across Latin America. The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, said that "there is no space or justification for violence in a democracy", while the president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, stated that "we condemn all forms of violence and intolerance". Both presidents offered their solidarity to the senator's family.
Colombian opposition senator in critical condition after assassination attempt
Opposition Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay remains in a critical state following an assassination attempt during a political rally in Colombia's capital, with doctors reporting he has survived initial surgery after sustaining gunshot wounds to the head.
The 39-year-old politician, who has declared his intention to seek the presidency in 2026, was targeted by a gunman whilst addressing supporters in Bogotá's Fontibón district on the afternoon of June 7. Medical staff confirmed he underwent emergency surgery and has now entered what officials described as "critical hours" of recovery.
His wife, María Claudia Tarazona, appealed for prayers on social media, writing on X that her husband was "fighting for his life."
The incident unfolded around 5 p.m. as Uribe delivered remarks to roughly 250 attendees at an outdoor gathering. Eyewitness accounts and mobile phone footage captured the moment gunshots rang out, with the senator subsequently seen wounded and bleeding before being rushed to hospital.
Authorities have detained a 14-year-old suspect found in possession of a 9mm Glock pistol, as confirmed by Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez. The minor sustained injuries during the arrest and is receiving medical treatment whilst in custody.
Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro has launched a full investigation into the attack, describing it as evidence of state security failures. Speaking in a televised address lasting over 40 minutes on June 7 evening, Petro stated that protecting Uribe's life remained the immediate priority.
"What is most important today is that we focus on ensuring that Dr. Uribe Turbay remains alive. That is the priority," the president said, as quoted by La Silla Vacia. He characterised the incident as "a failure of the government, of the state" whilst condemning attempts to exploit the violence for political advantage.
"The political use of these hours, of such a serious and painful event... is disgusting," Petro declared, rejecting what he termed opportunistic responses to the shooting.
The president has cancelled a scheduled diplomatic visit to France and convened emergency security meetings with senior ministers and police chiefs. According to Reuters, authorities have announced a reward equivalent to approximately $730,000 for information leading to those who orchestrated the attack.
The shooting has prompted sharp criticism from Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly blaming the Colombian government's rhetoric for creating conditions that led to the violence, AFP reported.
"This is a direct threat to democracy and the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government," Rubio said. "President Petro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials."
Leaders across Latin America, including Chile's Gabriel Boric and Ecuador's Daniel Noboa, have also condemned the attack and offered solidarity to Uribe's family.
Uribe represents Colombia's most established political dynasty. His grandfather, Julio César Turbay Ayala, served as president from 1978 to 1982, whilst his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was murdered by Pablo Escobar's cartel in 1991 after being taken hostage.
The senator, who graduated from Harvard and entered Congress in 2022, formally announced his presidential campaign last October at the site where his mother died. "I could have grown up seeking revenge, but I decided to do the right thing: forgive, but never forget," he said during that announcement.
As a leading figure in the right-wing Democratic Center party, Uribe has positioned himself as a vocal critic of President Petro's administration whilst advocating for increased security measures and foreign investment.
The June 7 attack has stirred memories of Colombia's darkest chapters of political violence, particularly the late 1980s and early 1990s when multiple presidential candidates were assassinated. The most notable victim was Luis Carlos Galán in 1989, killed by Escobar's hitmen. Galán's son now serves as Bogotá's mayor.
"The atrocious attack against Sen. Miguel Uribe is a new and deep wound in our democracy," Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said. "Political violence has cost our country too much blood."
This marks the third assault on a presidential candidate since 2002, following previous attacks on both former President Álvaro Uribe and current President Petro during their respective campaigns.
Despite a landmark 2016 peace agreement that formally ended five decades of internal conflict, Colombia continues to grapple with violence from criminal organisations and armed groups, particularly in rural regions.
Supporters have maintained vigils outside the hospital where Uribe is being treated, holding candles and Colombian flags whilst praying for his recovery. The country's next presidential election is scheduled for May 2026.
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