Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe, shot in head, remains in ‘most grave condition'
Colombian presidential candidate, Senator Miguel Uribe, who was shot twice in the head during a campaign rally in Bogota and rushed to the hospital, was said to be in a "grave condition" and "fighting for his life".
The 39-year-old Uribe underwent successful initial surgery to treat the injuries from Saturday's assassination attempt. However, doctors warned that his condition was still serious, news agency AFP reported.
Medics at Bogota's Santa Fe Clinic said, Uribe remains in "the most grave condition and the prognosis is reserved".
The Senator's shooting left the entire nation in shock, for Colombia believed that its history of bloody political and narcotics violence was largely in the past.
Meanwhile, several hundred of Colombians took to the streets with candles to pray for the recovery of Uribe. Carolina Gomez, a 41-year-old businesswoman, told AFP, "Our hearts are broken, Colombia hurts."
The crowd gathered at several places across the nation chanted "strength to you Miguel" and "the people are with you".
Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, thanked Colombians for their support and requested them to collectively pray for his survival. "He is fighting hard for his life," she said.
Miguel Uribe was shot in the El Golfito Park in the Modelia neighbourhood of Bogota's Fontibon district during a public gathering.
Uriba, a right-wing opposition leader and a presidential candidate from the Democratic Center, was meeting supporters when a man allegedly approached from behind and shot him in the back of the head.
Bogota Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán confirmed that Uribe's shooter had been captured. The motive for shooting the presidential candidate, however, is still unknown.
Defense minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday that a team of about 100 investigators are now working to determine the motive behind the attack.
Earlier, Sanchez had offered an approximately US$725,000 reward for information about who was behind the attack.
The suspect, believed to be a 15-year-old boy, was injured during the scuffle with the forces and was receiving treatment, said police director Carlos Fernando Triana.
Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro condemned the violence and said that it was "an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attacked and termed it a "direct threat to democracy".
However, Rubio also blamed Petro and claimed that the attack was "the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government".
"President Pedro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials," Rubio added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
9 minutes ago
- Time of India
Taiwanese lawmakers approve higher military pay
Taiwanese lawmakers debating military pay raises and manpower shortages during a legislative session. Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament approved Tuesday a pay increase for military service members, in a bid to address a manpower shortage and retain soldiers in the face of Chinese military pressure. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. The main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party and Taiwan People's Party passed amendments to an armed forces pay act granting volunteer service members an additional monthly allowance of NT$30,000 (US$1,000). The law previously did not specify the exact amount for allowances. It is on top of increases announced by President Lai Ching-te in March. "The armed forces are facing new types of operational needs... allowances should be increased to reflect the sharp rise in unit duties and training frequency," the KMT said in the document outlining the proposed changes. "By significantly raising allowances and adding an adjustment mechanism, the aim is to improve recruitment incentives and retain outstanding talent." Other changes passed by lawmakers Tuesday were for conscripts to receive no less than the minimum wage, additional pay for combat units and overtime. Premier Cho Jung-tai, who belongs to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said the government would challenge the amendments after the cabinet was not consulted as required by the budget act.
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Most markets extend gains as China-US talks head into second day
AI generated image showing a rising stock market graph against blurred US and Chinese flags, symbolizing positive trade talk outcomes. Stocks mostly rose Tuesday as the latest round of China-US trade talks moved into a second day, with one of Donald Trump 's top advisers saying he expected "a big, strong handshake". There is optimism the negotiations -- which come after the US president spoke to Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last week -- will bring some much-needed calm to markets and ease tensions between the economic superpowers. This week's meeting in London will look to smooth relations after Trump accused Beijing of violating an agreement made at a meeting of top officials last month in Geneva that ended with the two sides slashing tit-for-tat tariffs. The key issues on the agenda at the talks are expected to be exports of rare earth minerals used in a wide range of things including smartphones and electric vehicle batteries. "In Geneva, we had agreed to lower tariffs on them, and they had agreed to release the magnets and rare earths that we need throughout the economy," Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, told CNBC on Monday. But even though Beijing was releasing some supplies, "it was going a lot slower than some companies believed was optimal", he added. Still, he said he expected "a big, strong handshake" at the end of the talks. "Our expectation is that after the handshake, any export controls from the US will be eased, and the rare earths will be released in volume," Hassett added. He also said the Trump administration might be willing to ease some recent curbs on tech exports. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 'It Runs While I Sleep' – The AI Side Hustle Sweeping Australia TApp Read Now Undo The president told reporters at the White House: "We are doing well with China. China's not easy. "I'm only getting good reports." After a strong start, Asian markets stuttered in the afternoon, though it was not immediately clear what had prompted the step back. Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei, Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta rose but Hong Kong and Shanghai pared their initial rallies as investors grew nervous ahead of the resumption of the talks. Singapore and Manila also slipped. London and Paris opened higher but Frankfurt was slightly lower. "The bulls will layer into risk on any rhetoric that publicly keeps the two sides at the table," said Pepperstone's Chris Weston. "And with the meeting spilling over to a second day, the idea of some sort of loose agreement is enough to underpin the grind higher in US equity and risk exposures more broadly." Investors are also awaiting key US inflation data this week, which could impact the Federal Reserve's monetary policy amid warnings Trump's tariffs will refuel inflation strengthening the argument to keep interest rates on hold. However, it also faces pressure from the president to cut rates, with bank officials due to make a decision at their meeting next week. While recent jobs data has eased concerns about the US economy, analysts remain cautious. "Tariffs are likely to remain a feature of US trade policy under President Trump," said Matthias Scheiber and John Hockers at Allspring Global Investments. "A strong US consumer base was helping buoy the global economy and avoid a global recession." However, they also warned: "The current global trade war coupled with big spending cuts by the US government and possibly higher US inflation could derail US consumer spending to the point that the global economy contracts for multiple quarters." - Key figures at around 0715 GMT - Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 38,211.51 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.2 percent at 24,142.25 Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,384.82 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 8,858.21 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1397 from $1.1420 on Monday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3497 from $1.3552 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.58 yen 144.60 yen Euro/pound: UP 84.43 from 84.27 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $65.41 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.2 percent at $67.20 per barrel New York - Dow: FLAT at 42,761.76 (close)
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Iran says new round of US talks planned for June 15
Iran's foreign ministry has said a new round of nuclear talks with the United States is being planned for Sunday, after President Donald Trump said it was expected on Thursday. "The next round of Iran-US indirect talks is being planned for next Sunday in Muscat," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a statement Tuesday, adding foreign minister and chief negotiator Abbas Araghchi would this week attend the Norway's Oslo Forum, a gathering of conflict mediators. Iran and the United States have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord with major powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal for a nuclear deal, with Araghchi later saying the text contained "ambiguities". Iran said on Monday the US proposal was "lacking elements" reflective of the previous negotiations and that it would present a "reasonable, logical and balanced" counter-proposal to the United States through mediator Oman.
