Fears of violence revived after Colombian senator shot in head at campaign rally

Miami Herald

a day ago

Miguel Uribe Turbay, a Colombian senator and presidential hopeful, is in critical condition after being shot in the head at a campaign event in Bogotá on Saturday.
Analysts describe the attack as the latest sign of Colombia's deteriorating security situation and deepening political polarization, warning of a return to the dark era of political violence in the 1980s and 90s.
Uribe, the grandson of President Julio Cesar Turbay, spent his life fighting against political violence after his mother, Diana Turbay, was kidnapped by the Medellin Cartel and killed during a failed rescue operation in 1991.
Uribe's state was described as being of 'maximum severity' in a statement today by the Santa Fé Foundation, where the senator is being treated.
'This is the kind of moment that feels really pivotal, and it's frankly a very dangerous moment in Colombian politics,' Elizabeth Dickinson, Senior Colombia Analyst at Crisis Group International, told The Miami Herald.
It is the first assassination attempt of its kind in decades, with many observers comparing it to the murder of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán in 1989.
Galán's son, current Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan, told reporters this morning that Uribe is in 'the critical hours of recovery' following overnight surgery.
The attack was carried out amid a heavy police presence and just minutes away from El Dorado International Airport.
'I think it tells us a lot about the very fragile security dynamics,' said Dickinson.
Colombia has been facing a mounting internal security crisis this year, including intensified armed conflict in rural zones and a campaign of killings targeting police officers in April.
The shooting was carried out by a 15-year-old sicario, or paid hitman, who was apprehended by police shortly after fleeing the scene. It remains unclear who ordered the attack.
'It's very clear that the motivation of this attack was to be incendiary, to exacerbate polarization, to increase the levels of violence in politics,' said Dickinson.
Colombian politics have been marked by increasing tensions between the leftist incumbent, President Gustavo Petro, and conservative opposition.
Uribe was a far-right candidate for the Democratic Center party, considered to be former-president Alvaro Uribe's protegé. The hopeful campaigned promising to be tough on crime and to improve security in the country.
Many on the right blamed Petro personally for the attack.
'Petro, you are the only one responsible for whatever happens to Miguel Uribe and to all the other candidates,' wrote Vicky Dávila, the conservative favorite in next year's elections, in an X post on Saturday.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the chorus of criticism against Petro, who he has publicly clashed with on multiple occasions in the past.
'This is a direct threat to democracy and the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government,' wrote Washington's top diplomat in a post on X on Saturday night.
Petro has been criticized for his unconventional approach to statesmanship, often publishing rambling late-night posts on X criticizing his opponents.
'What the country really needs right now is a president who serves as a healer,' Sergio Guzmán, Director at Colombia Risk Analysis, a security think tank, told The Miami Herald.
'Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to happen and without that we can expect more episodes of political violence,' added the analyst.
Uribe's shooting is a powerful symbol in Colombia, where many remember his journalist mother's high-profile murder.
'It's really tragic, actually, to see this sort of cycle of violence within his own family,' said Dickinson.
The analyst described how Uribe's experience of violence from a young age defined his politics.
'Whether you agreed with his ideals or not, he came down very clearly on that subject, which is that violence has no role in politics,' explained Dickinson.
But the attack has shown violence is once again a part of Colombian politics, with many observers fearing it is just the tip of the iceberg.