Colombia presidential hopeful shot in the head at Bogota rally

A Colombian presidential candidate, Miguel Uribe Turbay, is in critical condition after being shot three times, reportedly twice in the head, during a campaign event in Bogotá on Saturday.

According to the attorney general’s office, the 39-year-old senator was speaking to supporters in a city park when the attack occurred.

The office also revealed that a 15-year-old suspect was apprehended at the scene.

Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, made a public appeal for prayers, urging the nation to come together in hope.

“Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him,” she said.

Uribe is a member of the Centro Democrático party, a right-wing political faction that swiftly condemned the attack.

The party called it a direct threat to “democracy and freedom in Colombia.”

Mobile phone footage circulating on social media appears to capture the exact moment Uribe was shot during his speech, triggering panic as the crowd scattered in fear.

According to AFP, paramedics reported that Uribe had been shot in the knee and twice in the head.

He was quickly airlifted to a hospital, where his supporters gathered outside, holding a vigil for his recovery.

Bogotá’s mayor, Carlos Fernando Galán, stated late Saturday that Uribe had undergone surgery and was in the early critical hours of recovery.

The teenage suspect was wounded in the leg during a chase by police and security officers immediately following the shooting.

He was found in possession of a 9mm Glock-style handgun, according to a statement from the attorney general’s office.

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the incident.

The Colombian government, led by left-wing President Gustavo Petro, issued a strong condemnation of the shooting.

The presidency described it as “an act of violence not only against his person, but also against democracy.”

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez denounced the assault as a “vile attack.”

He also announced a reward of 3 billion pesos (approximately $730,000 USD) for information leading to those responsible.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reacted strongly to the shooting, calling it a “direct threat to democracy.”

Rubio went further, attributing the incident, without citing specific evidence, to “violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government.”

As of now, the suspect’s motives remain unclear.

President Petro addressed the nation in a somber video message, referring to the shooting as a “day of pain” for Colombia.

He acknowledged political differences between Uribe and his administration but emphasized that such disagreements should never lead to violence.

“There is a political difference between Uribe and the government, but it is only political,” Petro said.

“What matters most today is that all Colombians focus with the energy of our hearts, with our will to live… on ensuring that Dr. Miguel Uribe stays alive.”

Miguel Uribe Turbay is a prominent figure in Colombian politics.

A vocal critic of President Petro, he recently declared his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election.

He has served as a senator since 2022 and comes from a well-known political lineage.

His family has deep roots in the Colombian Liberal Party. His father was both a union leader and a businessman.

Uribe’s mother, Diana Turbay, was a respected journalist tragically killed in 1991 during a failed rescue operation after being kidnapped by the notorious Medellín drug cartel, then led by Pablo Escobar.

Her death remains a symbol of the violence Colombia endured during its darkest years of narcotrafficking.

The attempted assassination has further intensified Colombia’s already polarized political climate.

As Uribe fights for his life, national and international leaders have united in condemning the violence and calling for peace.

The investigation continues, with authorities seeking to uncover who was behind the attack and whether it was part of a broader political plot or an isolated act by a lone assailant.

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