Bogota [Colombia], June 8 (ANI): Colombian Senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe remains in critical condition after being shot during a campaign event in Bogota, in what authorities say was an attack carried out by a 15-year-old boy. The incident occurred Saturday afternoon in the city’s Fontibon district as Uribe, a prominent opposition figure from the center-right Centro Democrático party, addressed a gathering.
The 39-year-old senator was shot twice and collapsed mid-speech, as captured in dramatic video footage. Chaos ensued as the crowd dispersed in panic. Uribe was rushed to Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation hospital, where he underwent neurosurgical and vascular procedures. Officials later confirmed his condition remains critical but stable.
The suspected shooter, a minor, was apprehended on the scene carrying a Glock pistol, according to CNN. Authorities are now investigating potential links to organized crime and the use of minors by criminal networks.
President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack in a strongly worded statement and pledged to uncover the individuals behind the incident—both those who carried it out and those who orchestrated it. “No resource should be spared, not a single peso or a single moment of energy, to find the mastermind … whether in Colombia or abroad,” said Petro.
He called for an independent probe to identify the “intellectual authors” behind the attack and stressed the need to protect political freedom and democratic participation. The President also expressed concern about the increasing involvement of youth in criminal activity and the apparent targeting of political figures.
Uribe’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, appealed for prayers in a heartfelt message posted on his social media accounts: “Miguel is fighting for his life right now. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him.”
Uribe, a Harvard graduate and rising political figure, has deep ties to Colombian history. His grandfather, Julio César Turbay Ayala, served as president from 1978 to 1982. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped and killed by Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel in 1991. Uribe launched his presidential campaign in October 2024 at the same location where his mother was murdered, vowing to choose forgiveness over vengeance.
The shooting has drawn widespread condemnation. Four former Colombian presidents—Ernesto Samper, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Juan Manuel Santos, and Iván Duque—denounced the act. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa also expressed solidarity with Uribe’s family and strongly opposed political violence.
Colombia’s Ministry of Defense has offered a reward of 3 billion pesos (approximately USD 730,000) for information leading to the identification and capture of those behind the attack.
The Centro Democrático party called the shooting “an unacceptable act of violence” that threatens Colombia’s democratic principles. President Petro’s office echoed that sentiment, describing the incident as a direct blow to “freedom of thought and legitimate political participation.”
Uribe’s Senate rival, Maria José Pizarro, also comes from a background marked by political tragedy—her father, presidential candidate Carlos Pizarro Leongómez, was assassinated in 1990. Like many in their generation, both politicians have worked to move the country beyond the legacy of political violence, making this latest attack especially chilling for Colombia’s fragile democracy. (ANI)
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