Latest news with #DianaTurbay
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colombian authorities charge 15-year-old with attempted murder of presidential candidate
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian authorities on Tuesday charged a 15-year-old with attempted murder for the assasination attempt on Miguel Uribe, the conservative presidential candidate who was shot in the head this weekend and is now in critical condition. The Attorney General's office said the teenager shot at Uribe during a rally in Bogota's Modelia neighborhood and was captured fleeing the scene with a gun. The teenager, whose name has not been released, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently recovering in a hospital from leg wounds. Colombia's Defense Minister said on Tuesday that authorities are still investigating who may have been behind the attack on Uribe, a 39-year-old senator and one of the nation's most visible opposition figures. Armed groups in Colombia frequently recruit minors for assassinations and other crimes, a practice driven by the lenient penalties they face under Colombian law. The teenager charged with attempted murder on Tuesday faces up to eight years in detention. A judge has ordered his detention at a juvenile center once he leaves hospital. The attack on Uribe has been widely condemned in Colombia, where many voters are concerned about the country's deteriorating security situation. Uribe, whose maternal grandfather was a Colombian president, is the son of Diana Turbay, a prominent news anchor who was assassinated in 1991 after being kidnapped by the powerful Medellin Cartel. Colombian opposition parties have asked for greater security guarantees in the wake of the attack, with some also urging President Gustavo Petro to moderate his rhetoric, as the nation prepares for presidential elections next year. While Petro condemned the attack on Uribe, he often refers to opposition leaders in his speeches and social media posts as 'Nazis' 'oligarchs' and 'enemies of the people.' On Tuesday, Uribe's wife María Claudia Tarazona addressed journalists outside the hospital where the senator is being treated, calling for unity and calm. 'I call on every sector, on all the political groups, on armed groups and on every corner of this country to heal,' she said, adding that Uribe 'is a warrior who is fighting for his life.' ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at Manuel Rueda, The Associated Press
Associated Press
a day ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Colombian authorities charge 15-year-old with attempted murder of presidential candidate
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian authorities on Tuesday charged a 15-year-old with attempted murder for the assasination attempt on Miguel Uribe, the conservative presidential candidate who was shot in the head this weekend and is now in critical condition. The Attorney General's office said the teenager shot at Uribe during a rally in Bogota's Modelia neighborhood and was captured fleeing the scene with a gun. The teenager, whose name has not been released, pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently recovering in a hospital from leg wounds. Colombia's Defense Minister said on Tuesday that authorities are still investigating who may have been behind the attack on Uribe, a 39-year-old senator and one of the nation's most visible opposition figures. Armed groups in Colombia frequently recruit minors for assassinations and other crimes, a practice driven by the lenient penalties they face under Colombian law. The teenager charged with attempted murder on Tuesday faces up to eight years in detention. A judge has ordered his detention at a juvenile center once he leaves hospital. The attack on Uribe has been widely condemned in Colombia, where many voters are concerned about the country's deteriorating security situation. Uribe, whose maternal grandfather was a Colombian president, is the son of Diana Turbay, a prominent news anchor who was assassinated in 1991 after being kidnapped by the powerful Medellin Cartel. Colombian opposition parties have asked for greater security guarantees in the wake of the attack, with some also urging President Gustavo Petro to moderate his rhetoric, as the nation prepares for presidential elections next year. While Petro condemned the attack on Uribe, he often refers to opposition leaders in his speeches and social media posts as 'Nazis' 'oligarchs' and 'enemies of the people.' On Tuesday, Uribe's wife María Claudia Tarazona addressed journalists outside the hospital where the senator is being treated, calling for unity and calm. 'I call on every sector, on all the political groups, on armed groups and on every corner of this country to heal,' she said, adding that Uribe 'is a warrior who is fighting for his life.' ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Colombia's potential presidential contender Miguel Uribe shot, suspect arrested
Colombian senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, survived an initial operation for his injuries after being shot in Bogotá on Saturday , said his wife and the hospital treating him, although he remains in intensive care. Mr Uribe (39) is a member of the opposition right-wing Democratic Center party and was shot in the head during a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood. A boy under 15 years of age was arrested after the shooting, the attorney general's office said in a statement on Saturday, adding he was carrying a 9m Glock-type pistol. The government said it is investigating if there were other potential perpetrators. Leftist president Gustavo Petro urged an investigation into who had ordered the attack in remarks late on Saturday. READ MORE [ Colombia's fragile peace under threat as US withdraws aid Opens in new window ] Campaigning is just beginning for the country's 2026 presidential election and Uribe, who is from a prominent political family, does not have a well-known platform so far. It was unclear why he was targeted in the attack. Though he has talked about the need to improve security and about having personally suffered in the country's conflict, many other potential candidates, including others from his party, have also said steps must be taken to tackle crime. Mr Uribe's grandfather was president from 1978 to 1982, while 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. 'Miguel came out of surgery, he made it. Every hour is a critical hour. He fought his first battle, and it went well,' his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona told local media on Sunday. 'This will take time.' The couple are parents to a young son. In a statement, the Santa Fe Foundation hospital where Mr Uribe was treated said he had procedures on his head and his left thigh, and remained in intensive care as doctors seek to stabilise his condition. Mr Uribe's party said in a statement that armed subjects shot him from behind. Videos on social media showed a man, identified as Uribe, being tended to after the shooting. He appeared to be bleeding from his head. Bogota's mayor, Carlos Galan, whose own presidential candidate father was assassinated in 1989, addressed journalists outside the hospital overnight, saying he had asked for increased protection for all candidates in Bogotá and for Mr Uribe's family. The Colombian government is offering some $730,000 as a reward for information in the case. 'For now there is nothing more than hypothesis,' Mr Petro said, and that failures in security protocols would also be looked into. Mr Uribe had the bodyguard protection provided for senators and other officials. Petro sympathised with Mr Uribe'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.' People gathered outside the hospital in northern Bogotá, staging candlelight vigils and praying, while others carried Colombian flags. A march of support was planned for Sunday. Several nations on Sunday including Brazil, Italy, Spain, Uruguay and Paraguay condemned the attack, as did the Venezuelan government and opposition. US secretary of state Marco Rubio said in a statement that the US 'condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination' of Uribe, blaming Mr Petro's 'inflammatory rhetoric' for the violence. Mr Petro was an outspoken critic of US president Donald Trump's deportation policies earlier this year, but has been less vocal since Mr Trump threatened to impose tariffs and sanctions on the Andean country. Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government. - Reuters
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
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: Presidential contender A member of the right-wing Democratic Center party, Uribe Turbay 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. Prominent political 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, whom 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.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
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.' ___ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
