Colombian presidential hopeful shot during political rally
Senator Miguel Uribe is not related to former President Álvaro Uribe despite sharing political views
Colombian Senator and 2026 presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was shot twice Saturday during a campaign rally in El Golfito Park, Bogota’s Fontibon district, at around 5 pm local time. Uribe, a member of the conservative Democratic Centre party, was stabilized at a local clinic before being airlifted to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where he underwent neurosurgical and vascular procedures. As of Sunday, he remained in stable but critical condition.
The assailant, a 14- or 15-year-old boy, was apprehended at the scene with a 9mm Glock-type firearm. He is in custody, receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during his capture, and is under investigation to determine motives and potential accomplices. Two others – a man and a woman – were also wounded in the attack, but their identities remain undisclosed.
Uribe, not related to former President Alvaro Uribe, is the grandson of former President Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala and son of journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed in 1991 after being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar’s cartel. The attack has drawn widespread condemnation, with President Gustavo Petro vowing an investigation and calling it an attack on democracy.
Other leaders, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and regional presidents, also condemned the violence. A reward of 3 billion Colombian pesos (US$ 730,000) has been offered for information about the incident.
The Attorney General’s Office is ensuring the minor’s safety to aid the investigation, with the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) overseeing his rights. Colombia’s next presidential election is set for May 2026, and Uribe is a prominent right-wing critic of incumbent President Petro, who is ineligible for re-election.
Uribe “overcame the first surgical procedure,” Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galá confirmed.
“He fought the first battle and fought it well. He is fighting for his life,” Uribe’s wife said in an audio recording shared with the media.
Uribe was elected a senator in 2022 under the conservative Democratic Centre party, founded by former President Álvaro Uribe, to whom he is not related. His grandfather Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala served as president from 1978 to 1982. His mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist kidnapped in 1990 by Pablo Escobar’s Medellin cartel. She died in a botched rescue operation by Colombian forces a few months later.
Uribe has held several public offices, including Bogota City Council member (2012–2015) and government secretary of Bogota (2016–2018). He also ran for mayor of Bogotá in 2019 but lost.
In the 1980s and 1990s, at least five presidential candidates were assassinated by drug cartels, paramilitaries, or political opponents, including Luis Carlos Galán in 1989, who was known for his strong anticorruption stance and opposition to drug trafficking.
