In a tragic turn of events, Colombian Senator and conservative presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay remains in a grave condition after being shot at a political rally over the weekend. The violent attack, which took place in a park within the Fontibon neighborhood of Bogota, has shook the nation. Reports indicate that the 39-year-old senator sustained severe injuries, necessitating emergency surgery at the Fundación Santa Fe clinic where he remains under intensive care.
Bogotá’s Mayor, Carlos Galán, visited the hospital to show his support and update the public on Uribe’s critical condition, acknowledging the senator’s fight for survival. The hospital administered both neurosurgery and a procedure on his left thigh, yet his condition is still precarious. Uribe’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, urged the public for continual prayers for her husband’s recovery.
Renowned Colombian figures, including former presidents Álvaro Uribe and César Gaviria, along with other politicians like Ingrid Betancourt and several senators, have made their way to the clinic, expressing solidarity with Uribe Turbay’s family. The attack has invoked memories of the era when political violence was rampant in Colombia. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the resurging violence that has plagued the nation.
Witnesses and images from the incident revealed a perpetrator firing from behind, with the senator collapsing after sustaining shots, one believed to hit his head. The Attorney General’s Office, actively investigating the matter, confirmed that Senator Uribe sustained two gunshots and identified other victims whose details remain undisclosed. A 15-year-old boy was detained at the scene with a firearm, suffering a leg injury. More than 100 officers have been tasked with tracing the masterminds behind this brazen attack.
Security analyst Elizabeth Dickinson commented on the recurrence of political violence in Colombia, expressing concern over the unstable cycle and labeling the attack as a disruptive maneuver to incite national unrest. With the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for May 31, 2026, in view of the conclusion of President Gustavo Petro’s term, Uribe Turbay’s bid for presidency underscores the high stakes and dangers politicians face.
Support continues to pour in from both national and international fronts. President Gustavo Petro, who canceled a foreign trip following the events, vowed complete transparency in the investigation, pledging to identify the perpetrators and investigate any security lapses within the senator’s protective detail. Meanwhile, global leaders, including from the United States, Chile, Ecuador, and the European Union, have denounced the alarming violence and extended their condolences to Uribe’s family.
Notably, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stern condemnation of the attack, portraying it as a direct threat to Colombia’s democracy and an inadvertent consequence of the growing leftist rhetoric being propagated by the government. Calls have been made for peace and the safeguarding of political figures amid mounting concerns over the nation’s stability.