In a shocking turn of events ahead of Colombia’s presidential race, Senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during a campaign stop in the Fontibón neighbourhood of Bogotá. The 39-year-old opposition figure from the Centro Democrático party was rushed to a medical facility after sustaining visible injuries, with footage showing blood on his head and back. His current condition remains unknown.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán confirmed that the assailant has been detained, and authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack. The Colombian government, led by President Gustavo Petro, swiftly condemned the violence and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of all political leaders.
“Violence can never be the way forward. I strongly condemn the attack against Miguel Uribe,” Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia said in a post on X. “I sincerely hope he is safe and out of danger,” the minister added.
Political Legacy and Rising Profile
Uribe, the grandson of former President Julio César Turbay and the son of slain journalist Diana Turbay, has become a prominent face of the conservative opposition. In the 2022 Senate elections, he garnered more votes than any other candidate, reflecting his broad support base.
A staunch ally of former President Álvaro Uribe, he has campaigned on a platform emphasising law and order, economic stability, and pro-business policies. His warnings about Colombia’s backslide into violence have been a recurring theme in his public statements.
Just a day before the attack, Uribe addressed a banking conference in Cartagena, saying, “They are dragging us back to a past of violence we don’t want to return to. Without security there is nothing: physical safety, public order, legal certainty, clear rules, institutional stability, and rule of law.”
