Colombian presidential candidate shot and wounded
A Colombian right-wing opposition senator and candidate to next year's presidential election was in intensive care Saturday after being shot during a campaign event in Bogota, authorities said.
A video circulating on social media shows 39-year-old Miguel Uribe giving a speech in front of several people when gunshots suddenly ring out.
In other images he appears slumped against the hood of a white car, smeared with blood, as a group of men try to hold him up.
Media reported the suspected shooter was a teenager who had been arrested.
Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo told Caracol Radio that Uribe was in "intensive care."
Local media reported that at least one bullet struck the senator in the neck or head.
The government of leftist President Gustavo Petro said it "categorically and forcefully" condemned the attack on Uribe during the campaign event in the west of the capital.
"This act of violence is an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia," the presidency said in the statement.
Uribe, a strong critic of Petro, is a member of the Democratic Center party, who announced last October his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election.
- Shot 'from behind' -
His party said in a statement Saturday that an "armed individual" had shot the senator from behind.
The attack "not only endangers the life of a political leader, but also threatens democracy and freedom in Colombia," it said.
The party leader, Colombia's influential former president Alvaro Uribe, meanwhile described the shooting as an attack against "a hope for the country."
Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on X that "the shooter has been captured."
Local media reported that a 15-year-old boy had been arrested and was suspected of pulling the trigger.
Attorney General Camargo said she had seen those reports but that the information had yet to be verified.
Miguel Uribe is a member of a family with a long political tradition in Colombia.
One of his grandfathers was former Colombia president Julio Cesar Turbay, who led the country from 1978 to 1982.
And his mother, Diana Turbay, was a renowned journalist who was kidnapped by the Medellin Cartel, led by the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar, and who was killed in a failed military rescue operation in 1991.
Uribe himself has been a senator since 2022. He previously served as Bogota's government secretary and city councilor.
He also ran for city mayor in 2019, but lost that election.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X that authorities were offering a reward of around $700,000 for information leading to the capture of those behind Saturday's attack.
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ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Colombian senator and potential presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay shot in head at rally
Colombian senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a potential presidential contender, is in a critical condition after being shot in the head during a campaign event in Bogota. The 39-year-old conservative senator was speaking to supporters in the capital when a gunman shot him twice in the head and once in the knee before being detained. The Colombian attorney-general's office said in a statement that a minor, under the age of 15, was arrested carrying a "pistol-type firearm". Mr Uribe was airlifted to hospital and underwent a "neurosurgical" and "peripheral vascular procedure", the Santa Fe Clinic in Bogota reported. His wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, wrote on her husband's X account that he was "fighting for his life". The government is offering some $730,000 as a reward for information in the case. The office of Colombia's president said the government "categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events. President Gustavo Petro, a leftist frequently criticised by Mr Uribe, said he sympathised with the senator's family in a message on X. "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland," he wrote. Mr Petro later said that the investigation would focus on finding who had ordered the attack. "For now there is nothing more than hypothesis," he said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination" of Mr Uribe, blaming Mr Petro's "inflammatory rhetoric" for the violence. Mr Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his right-wing Centro Democrático party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessperson and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991. Her father was president Julio Cesar Turbay, who led the country from 1978 to 1982. Supporters have gathered outside the Bogota hospital where Mr Uribe is being treated, lighting candles and clutching crucifixes as they pray for his recovery. His party said in a statement on Saturday that an "armed individual" had shot the senator from behind. The party's leader, former president Alvaro Uribe (who is not related to the senator) described the shooting as an attack against "a hope for the country". Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Shot Colombian presidential hopeful fighting for life
Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, is in a critical condition after being shot at a campaign rally in Bogota. The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related. According to a party statement condemning the attack, the senator was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood in the capital on Saturday when "armed subjects shot him from behind". The party described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe's condition. However, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on Uribe's account on X that her husband was "fighting for his life". "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life," she wrote. Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested and authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Colombia's presidency issued a statement saying the government "categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place. Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathised with the senator's family in a message on X saying, "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination" of Uribe, blaming Petro's "inflammatory rhetoric" for the violence. Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991. Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government. Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, is in a critical condition after being shot at a campaign rally in Bogota. The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related. According to a party statement condemning the attack, the senator was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood in the capital on Saturday when "armed subjects shot him from behind". The party described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe's condition. However, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on Uribe's account on X that her husband was "fighting for his life". "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life," she wrote. Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested and authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Colombia's presidency issued a statement saying the government "categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place. Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathised with the senator's family in a message on X saying, "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination" of Uribe, blaming Petro's "inflammatory rhetoric" for the violence. Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991. Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government. Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, is in a critical condition after being shot at a campaign rally in Bogota. The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related. According to a party statement condemning the attack, the senator was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood in the capital on Saturday when "armed subjects shot him from behind". The party described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe's condition. However, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on Uribe's account on X that her husband was "fighting for his life". "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life," she wrote. Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested and authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Colombia's presidency issued a statement saying the government "categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place. Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathised with the senator's family in a message on X saying, "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination" of Uribe, blaming Petro's "inflammatory rhetoric" for the violence. Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991. Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government. Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, is in a critical condition after being shot at a campaign rally in Bogota. The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related. According to a party statement condemning the attack, the senator was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood in the capital on Saturday when "armed subjects shot him from behind". The party described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe's condition. However, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on Uribe's account on X that her husband was "fighting for his life". "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life," she wrote. Colombia's Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested and authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Colombia's presidency issued a statement saying the government "categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place. Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathised with the senator's family in a message on X saying, "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US "condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination" of Uribe, blaming Petro's "inflammatory rhetoric" for the violence. Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991. Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government.
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay shot at rally
A presidential candidate in Colombia is reportedly clinging to life after being shot while addressing a rally in the nation's capital. Horrific footage of the moment right-wing politician Miguel Uribe Turbay was ambushed by a gunman was shared on social media following the attack on Saturday, local time. Mr Uribe, 39, was speaking before a small crowd in a park in Bogota when he was shot from close range. Several gunshots can be heard ringing out in the footage (see below). Local and international media organisations have reported he was shot in the head or neck area. His wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, said in a post on her husband's X account that 'Miguel is currently fighting for his life'. 'Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him,' she said. In more footage recorded at the scene Mr Uribe appears slumped against the bonnet of a white car, smeared with blood, as a group of men try to hold him up. Some of the men appear to be applying pressure to Mr Uribe's head with their hands before they pick him up and carry him toward medical assistance. Media reported the suspected shooter was a teenager who had been arrested. Attorney-General Luz Adriana Camargo told Caracol Radio that Mr Uribe was in 'intensive care'. The government of leftist President Gustavo Petro said it 'categorically and forcefully' condemned the attack on Mr Uribe during the campaign event in the west of the capital. 'This act of violence is an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia,' the presidency said in the statement. Senator Mr Uribe, a strong critic of Mr Petro, is a member of the Democratic Center party, who announced last October his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election. He comes from a prominent political family in Colombia, with his grandfather Julio Cesar Turbay serving as president from 1978 to 1982. His journalist mother, Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a rescue attempt after she was kidnapped by the Medellin drug cartel run by infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the US 'condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination' of Mr Uribe. Mr Rubio went on to claim the shooting was the 'result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government'. 'President Petro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials.'
