A well-known right-wing presidential candidate from Colombia was shot and seriously injured during a campaign event in Bogota yesterday, according to authorities.
Senator Miguel Uribe, aged 39, was addressing supporters in the western part of the capital when a gunman shot him twice in the head and once in the knee before being apprehended.
A security guard succeeded in detaining the alleged assailant, who is reported to be a minor approximately 15 years old.
Police director Carlos Fernando Triana stated that the suspect sustained injuries during the incident and is currently receiving medical treatment.
The mayor of Bogota confirmed that Mr. Uribe underwent surgery after being transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Mr. Uribe has “successfully passed the initial surgical procedure,” Carlos Fernando Galan informed the media, and he has now entered “the critical hours” of recovery.
The motive behind the attack remains unknown, prompting Colombia’s minister of defense to assure that military, police, and intelligence resources would be utilized to uncover the truth.
Minister Pedro Sanchez also announced a reward of approximately US$725,000 for any information concerning those responsible for the shooting.
The attack was denounced across the political spectrum and internationally, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio labeling it “a direct threat to democracy.”
Mr. Rubio attributed blame to Colombia’s leftist president Gustavo Petro, asserting that the incident was “a consequence of the violent leftist rhetoric emanating from the highest echelons of the Colombian government.”
“President Petro must tone down the inflammatory language and safeguard Colombian officials,” the top US diplomat remarked.
Mr. Petro condemned the attack “categorically and forcefully.”
“This act of violence is an assault not only on his person but also on democracy, freedom of thought, and the rightful practice of politics in Colombia,” stated the presidency in a press release.
Mr. Petro was expected to address the nation late last night.
Mr. Uribe, a vocal critic of Mr. Petro and a member of the Democratic Center party, announced his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election last October.
Authorities noted that no specific threats had been made against the politician prior to the incident. Like many public figures in Colombia, Mr. Uribe benefited from close personal protection.
The country is home to numerous armed guerrilla factions, powerful cartels, and has a longstanding history of political violence.
Mr. Uribe is the son of Diana Turbay, a renowned Colombian journalist who was murdered after being abducted by Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel.
One of his grandfathers, Julio Cesar Turbay, served as Colombia’s president from 1978 to 1982.
Shot ‘from behind’
Mr. Uribe was airlifted to Santa Fe Clinic, where he is reported to be receiving intensive care.
Supporters gathered outside the facility, lighting candles and holding crucifixes as they prayed for his recovery.
Mr. Uribe’s party released a statement yesterday indicating that an “armed individual” shot the senator from behind.
The party leader, Colombia’s prominent former president Alvaro Uribe, characterized the shooting as an attack against “a hope for the country.”
Miguel Uribe has been a senator since 2022, having previously held positions as Bogota’s government secretary and city councilor.
He also ran for mayor of the city in 2019, but was defeated in that election.
