Colombian presidential candidate and opposition senator Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday. The 39-year-old politician was reportedly struck three times, including twice in the head, while speaking to a small crowd at a park in the nation’s capital.
Chaos erupted as gunfire interrupted the event, with bystanders fleeing in panic. Disturbing phone footage widely shared online appears to capture the moment Uribe was shot mid-speech. Paramedics rushed to the scene and confirmed he had sustained three gunshot wounds before being transported to hospital in critical condition.
Authorities apprehended a suspect at the scene. Investigations are ongoing, though the motive for the attack remains unclear. The incident has sent shockwaves through Colombia’s political landscape, drawing condemnation from across the spectrum.
Uribe’s political party, Centro Democrático, issued a strongly worded statement, calling the attack “a grave assault on democracy and freedom in Colombia.” The party emphasized the need for unity and called on the government to ensure the safety of all political candidates.
President Gustavo Petro’s administration also denounced the attack. In an official statement, the left-wing government condemned it “categorically and forcefully,” labeling it as “an act of violence not only against his person, but also against democracy.”
Uribe, a prominent figure in Colombian politics, declared his intention to run for president in October 2024. He is the son of the late Diana Turbay, a journalist tragically killed in 1991 during a failed rescue operation after her kidnapping by the infamous Medellín drug cartel led by Pablo Escobar.
The shooting reignites fears about political violence in a country with a long and turbulent history of conflict involving drug cartels, guerrilla groups, and political assassinations. The attack on Uribe, a symbol of the political establishment, is a stark reminder of Colombia’s fragile security environment, especially as the 2026 presidential election approaches.
As Uribe fights for his life, Colombians watch anxiously, hoping this latest act of violence does not derail the country’s democratic progress.
