Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in 'critical condition' after attempted assassination
A Colombian senator running to be the country's next president was shot and "critically" injured at a campaign rally in Bogota, authorities have said.
Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was targeted during the campaign event in a park in the Fontibon area of the Colombian capital, according to the Attorney General's office.
He suffered two gunshot wounds and was seen covered in blood as he was being helped by aides and people in the crowd.
According to a medical report at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, he was admitted there in a "critical condition" and is still undergoing a "neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure".
Two other people were injured but the nature of their injuries has not been made public.
A 15-year-old male suspect was arrested at the scene and is being treated for a leg injury, police chief General Carlos Triana said.
Mr Uribe Turbay, who announced his presidential bid for the right-wing Democratic Center Party in March, was accompanied by a team of 21 people at the time of the shooting, his office said, including councilman Andres Barrios.
He was hoping to run in the presidential elections taking place on 31 May next year - and succeed President Gustavo Petro, the country's first leftist leader.
His father, who was a journalist, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the most violent periods in Colombia's history.
His wife Maria Claudia Tarazone wrote on X that he is "fighting for his life" and urged Colombians to pray for him.
His party described it as an "unacceptable act of violence", while US secretary of state Marco Rubio condemned it in the "strongest possible terms".
Writing on X, Mr Rubio also urged Colombia's current president to "dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials".
Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, who is not related to Mr Uribe Turbay, said the gunman had "attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, son, brother, and a great colleague".
He cancelled a planned trip to France due to the "seriousness of the events", his office said in a statement, with law enforcement officials offering a reward to help prosecute the perpetrator.
Messages of support poured in from elsewhere in Latin America, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric saying: "There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy," and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa adding: "We condemn all forms of violence and intolerance."
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Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Colombian senator Uribe fighting for life after shooting
BOGOTA, June 8 (Reuters) - Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, was fighting for his life in hospital after being shot during a campaign event in Bogota on Saturday, according to his wife and government and party authorities. The Colombian Attorney General's Office said in a statement that "a minor under 15 years of age was arrested carrying a Glock pistol-type firearm (9mm)", and President Gustavo Petro ordered an investigation into who had ordered the attack. The 39-year-old senator, a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party, was shot during a 2026 presidential campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighborhood in the capital on Saturday, according to a party statement condemning the attack. The party said in a statement "armed subjects shot him from behind" and described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe's condition. Videos on social media showed a man, identified as Uribe, being tended to after the shooting. He appeared to be bleeding from his head. Uribe's wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on her husband's account on X that he was "fighting for his life". People gathered outside the Santa Fe Foundation hospital where Uribe was being treated, some staged candlelight vigils and prayed, while others carried Colombian flags. Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested in the shooting and that authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Sanchez said he had visited the hospital where Uribe was being treated. The government is offering some $730,000 as a reward for information in the case. 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. Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathized 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." Petro later said in a speech on Saturday night that the person arrested was a minor and that the investigation would focus on finding who had ordered the attack. "For now there is nothing more than hypothesis," Petro said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the U.S. "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.
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in 'critical condition' after attempted assassination - as 15-year-old suspect arrested
A 15 year-old-boy has been arrested after a Colombian senator running to be the country's next president was shot and "critically" injured at a campaign rally in Bogota, authorities have said. Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was targeted during the campaign event in a park in the Fontibon area of the Colombian capital, according to the Attorney General's office. He suffered two gunshot wounds when armed assailants shot him from behind and appeared to be bleeding from his head as he was helped by aides and people in the crowd, in a video posted on social media. According to a medical report at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, he was admitted there in a "critical condition" and is still undergoing a "neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure". His wife Maria Claudia Tarazone wrote on X that he is "fighting for his life" and urged Colombians to pray for him. Two other people were injured but the nature of their injuries has not been made public. A suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested at the scene with a firearm and is being treated for a leg injury, police chief General Carlos Triana said. The government is offering a $730,000 (£540,000) reward for information and President Gustavo Petro said the investigation will focus on who ordered the attack. "For now there is nothing more than hypothesis," he said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into. Mr Uribe Turbay, who announced his presidential bid for the right-wing Democratic Center Party in March, was accompanied by a team of 21 people at the time of the shooting, his office said, including councilman Andres Barrios. He was hoping to run in the presidential elections taking place on 31 May next year - and succeed Mr Petro, the country's first leftist leader. His mother, who was a journalist, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the most violent periods in Colombia's history. His party described it as an "unacceptable act of violence", while US secretary of state Marco Rubio condemned it in the "strongest possible terms". Writing on X, Mr Rubio also urged Colombia's current president to "dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials". Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, who is not related to Mr Uribe Turbay, said the gunman had "attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, son, brother, and a great colleague". He cancelled a planned trip to France due to the "seriousness of the events", his office said in a statement. Messages of support poured in from elsewhere in Latin America, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric saying: "There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy." Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa added: "We condemn all forms of violence and intolerance."
Sky News
4 hours ago
- Sky News
Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay in 'critical condition' after shooting - as 15-year-old suspect arrested
A Colombian senator running to be the country's next president was shot and "critically" injured at a campaign rally in Bogota, authorities have said. Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was targeted during the campaign event in a park in the Fontibon area of the Colombian capital, according to the Attorney General's office. He suffered two gunshot wounds when armed assailants shot him from behind and appeared to be bleeding from his head as he was helped by aides and people in the crowd, in a video posted on social media. According to a medical report at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, he was admitted there in a "critical condition" and is still undergoing a "neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure". His wife Maria Claudia Tarazone wrote on X that he is "fighting for his life" and urged Colombians to pray for him. Two other people were injured but the nature of their injuries has not been made public. A suspect, a 15-year-old boy, was arrested at the scene with a firearm and is being treated for a leg injury, police chief General Carlos Triana said. The government is offering a $730,000 (£540,000) reward for information and President Gustavo Petro said the investigation will focus on who ordered the attack. "For now there is nothing more than hypothesis," he said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into. Mr Uribe Turbay, who announced his presidential bid for the right-wing Democratic Center Party in March, was accompanied by a team of 21 people at the time of the shooting, his office said, including councilman Andres Barrios. He was hoping to run in the presidential elections taking place on 31 May next year - and succeed Mr Petro, the country's first leftist leader. His mother, who was a journalist, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the most violent periods in Colombia's history. His party described it as an "unacceptable act of violence", while US secretary of state Marco Rubio condemned it in the "strongest possible terms". Writing on X, Mr Rubio also urged Colombia's current president to "dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials". Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe, who is not related to Mr Uribe Turbay, said the gunman had "attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, son, brother, and a great colleague". He cancelled a planned trip to France due to the "seriousness of the events", his office said in a statement. Messages of support poured in from elsewhere in Latin America, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric saying: "There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy," and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa adding: "We condemn all forms of violence and intolerance."
