Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay remains in intensive care after being shot three times—twice in the head—during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday.
The 39-year-old opposition leader was airlifted to Santa Fe Foundation Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgeries and remains in extremely critical condition.
Uribe was addressing supporters in a park when the attack occurred. Footage shared online captures the moment gunshots rang out mid-speech, sending the crowd into chaos.
Authorities say the suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested at the scene with a 9mm Glock-type pistol. He was shot in the leg while attempting to flee and is now in custody as investigators search for possible accomplices.
Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, appealed to Colombians for prayers. “Miguel is fighting for his life. Please ask God to guide the hands of the doctors,” she said.
Uribe’s Centro Democrático party condemned the shooting as an attack on Colombian democracy, and leaders across the political spectrum have called for unity.
President Gustavo Petro, a left-wing leader frequently at odds with Uribe, labeled the incident a “day of pain” and urged citizens to focus on saving Uribe’s life rather than politics.
“What matters most today is ensuring that Dr. Miguel Uribe stays alive,” Petro said in a national address.
Uribe, a fierce critic of Petro’s administration, had recently declared his candidacy for the 2026 presidential election. Tensions between the government and opposition had escalated in recent days, with Uribe opposing Petro’s proposed reforms, calling them unconstitutional.
Echoes of Colombia’s Violent Past
The assassination attempt has triggered fears of a return to political violence reminiscent of Colombia’s bloody past.
Uribe’s mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist killed during a rescue operation after being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar’s cartel in 1991.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said, “We cannot return to the days when violence was used to eliminate political rivals.”
Thousands have gathered outside the hospital for vigils, lighting candles and praying for Uribe’s recovery.
The shooting has sparked international condemnation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the incident a “direct threat to democracy”, and controversially linked it to “violent leftist rhetoric” in Colombia, though no motive for the attacker has been confirmed.
The Colombian government is offering a 3 billion peso reward ($730,000) for information leading to further suspects or planners. Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed to bring “those behind this vile attack” to justice.
