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Who is Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay who was shot during a campaign rally in Bogota?

Who is Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay who was shot during a campaign rally in Bogota?

Conservative Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot and seriously injured during a campaign rally in the capital, Bogota. The brazen attack captured on video shook a nation that decades ago regularly saw kidnappings and killings of politicians and high profile people.
Uribe Turbay, 39, who has announced he intends to run for president next year, was in serious condition following surgery Sunday, a day after the shooting, and doctors said he was going through 'critical hours.'
Here's what to know about the conservative politician:
A conservative presidential hopeful
A member of the right-wing Democratic Center party, Uribe Turbay launched his presidential bid in March. He has become a prominent opposition voice against the government of President Gustavo Petro, the first leftist politician to become the leader of Colombia. Petro cannot seek reelection in 2026.
Uribe Turbay, whose family had also suffered political violence, launched his presidential bid in March. In October last year, he had posted a video on social media announcing his intention to run, choosing the mountains of Copacabana in the department of Antioquia as a backdrop.
The country will hold a presidential election on May 31, 2026.
'A place with deep meaning for me,' he said in the video. 'It was here that my mother was kidnapped by Pablo Escobar and was killed when I was about to turn five.'
His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was abducted by the Medellin Cartel and killed in 1991, one of Colombia's most violent periods.
The attack on Uribe Turbay on Saturday shocked the nation and revived memories of an era when political violence affected Colombian public life.
A life as part of a politically well-known family
Uribe Turbay entered politics early, being elected to Bogota's City Council at age 25 in 2012. In 2016, he was appointed the city's secretary of government by then-Mayor Enrique Peñalosa.
In 2022, he became senator after being invited to run by former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, no relation.
Uribe Turbay was born into a prominent political family. He is the grandson of former President Julio César Turbay Ayala, who served from 1978 to 1982, and the paternal grandson of Rodrigo Uribe Echavarría, a former director of the Liberal Party.
He was not considered a front-runner in next year's race, according to recent polls, and was still facing competition within his political coalition. In his pre-campaign messaging, Uribe Turbay focused heavily on security, seeking to inspire investments and promote economic stability.
'Reserved prognosis'
The senator is going through what authorities have described as 'critical hours' after undergoing surgery at a private clinic in Bogotá.
'He survived the procedure; these are critical moments and hours for his survival,' said Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán early Sunday after receiving information from the medical staff at the Fundación Santa Fe clinic.
'His condition is extremely serious and the prognosis is reserved,' the clinic added hours later in a new medical report.
Police arrested a 15-year-old boy for the shooting who they considered the perpetrator. Authorities have not disclosed a motive.
Colombia's Ombudsman's Office condemned the attack, saying the country 'cannot allow a return to dark times when violence sought to silence ideas, candidacies or political leadership.'
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Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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Colombia's president blames ‘international mafia' for senator shooting
Colombia's president blames ‘international mafia' for senator shooting

Toronto Sun

time2 hours ago

  • Toronto Sun

Colombia's president blames ‘international mafia' for senator shooting

Published Jun 10, 2025 • 2 minute read Senator Miguel Uribe looks on after the Senate voted against the government labor reform referendum promoted by Colombia's President Gustavo Petro in Bogota on May 14, 2025. Senator and presidential hopeful Uribe, shot in the head by an alleged teen gunman at a campaign rally on June 7, shows "little response" to medical treatment and remains in "critical" condition, the clinic treating him in Bogota reported on June 9, 2025. (Photo by Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP) (Bloomberg) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro blamed a global crime syndicate for an attempted assassination that's shocked the Andean nation and left a contender for his job in critical condition. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The leftist leader said late Monday in a lengthy post on social media he was ordering increased security measures for opposition leaders ahead of next year's presidential election. Miguel Uribe Turbay, the conservative senator who was shot in the head at a weekend rally, remained in intensive care Tuesday morning, according to the Bogotá hospital where he is being treated. 'There are very strong indications that have reached high-ranking opposition leaders and us that the perpetrator of the attack is the international mafia,' Petro said. 'The assassins want us to kill each other, weaken the state, and advance their control over the illicit economy.' He blamed a drug trafficking ring that extends from Dubai, Italy and Albania to Ecuador, saying it has links to Colombia's Gulf Clan and a warlord known as Iván Mordisco. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The attempted assassination of Uribe is the latest sign that events in Colombia are spinning out of control, a little more than a year before Petro must leave office. Cocaine production is at a record as gangs capture more territory, and fiscal accounts are the worst they've been since the pandemic. The president has been unable to get his main initiatives past Congress and the courts, and his erratic handling of this incident is again raising doubts about his fitness to lead. In addition to Uribe, Petro said security was being increased for María Fernanda Cabal, Abelardo de la Espriella, and Vicky Dávila. The teenage suspect in the case is due to appear in court Tuesday morning, where he will likely be charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm. Authorities say the Glock pistol used in the attack was purchased in the US in 2020. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Since the suspect is a minor, he would be tried in a juvenile system under which the maximum sentence he faces if convicted is eight years. Petro said the teenage hitman circled the park where the attack occurred for four hours. He arrived on a motorcycle, spoke with people in a van and had a cellphone with which he asked for a small payment that he is believed to have handed over to another person. The president also said Uribe's son had been followed from school, and the prosecutor's office was investigating whether the senator himself was being tailed. Read More Toronto Blue Jays World Relationships Olympics Editorial Cartoons

Colombian presidential hopeful Uribe in critical condition after assassination attempt
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Toronto Star

time8 hours ago

  • Toronto Star

Colombian presidential hopeful Uribe in critical condition after assassination attempt

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Miguel Uribe, a conservative Colombian presidential hopeful, was in critical condition on Monday after being shot in the head from close range during a rally over the weekend. In a statement, doctors said the 39-year-old senator had 'barely' responded to medical interventions that included brain surgery following the assassination attempt that has had a chilling effect on the South American nation.

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