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Economic Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Who was Diana Turbay? Journalist kidnapped by Pablo Escobar and mother of Miguel Uribe who was shot today
Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe was shot three times during a campaign event in Bogota on Saturday, including twice in the head. He was immediately rushed to hospital, fighting for his life. Authorities swiftly arrested a 15-year-old boy carrying a firearm at the scene. Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the arrest and said investigations are ongoing into possible accomplices. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, appealed publicly for support, saying on social media, "I am Maria Claudia Tarazona, Miguel's wife. Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life. I put my faith in God." — MiguelUribeT (@MiguelUribeT) Miguel Uribe belongs to a prominent Colombian family with deep political and journalistic roots. His father was a union leader and businessman connected to Colombia's Liberal Party. But it is his mother, Diana Turbay, whose story casts a long Turbay was a respected journalist and daughter of Julio César Turbay Ayala, Colombia's 25th president. Born in 1950 in Bogota, she was known for her refusal to sensationalise violence, a rare stance in a country long plagued by drug cartel terror. In August 1990, Diana Turbay set out to interview a guerrilla leader, Manuel Pérez Martínez, alias El Cura Pérez, from the ELN (National Liberation Army), accompanied by five other journalists and a cameraman. But the interview was a trap. The guerrillas were members of Los Priscos, a violent gang working for Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel. They kidnapped Turbay and her crew to pressure the Colombian government to halt extradition agreements with the United States—a key demand of Escobar. Turbay was held for nearly five months at a remote ranch in Copacabana, north of Medellin. Despite captivity, she showed remarkable courage and integrity. She smuggled letters, advocated for the release of fellow journalists, and reportedly urged authorities to avoid violent rescue attempts. She even earned the respect of her captors. On 25 January 1991, Colombian police launched a rescue operation without informing Turbay's family. The raid ended in was struck by a bullet in the back, which severely damaged her liver and kidney. She was taken to a hospital in Medellin but died soon after emergency surgery. It remains unclear whether the fatal shot was fired by her captors or the rescuers, but the operation was widely Inter American Press Association noted, "She had been kidnapped by Escobar to put pressure on the then president, César Gaviria, to overturn the extradition agreement with the United States."Her death was not only a personal tragedy but a national symbol of Colombia's brutal fight against drug Turbay's story lives on. Her death was chronicled in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's News of a Kidnapping and portrayed in the Netflix series son Miguel has often spoken of her as his guiding light. On 25 January 2024, he tweeted, "Hace 33 años perdí a mi mamá, Diana Turbay y hoy a pesar del tiempo que ha pasado, mi mamá ha sido mi motivación y ejemplo para trabajar por nuestro país. Me enseñó que los principios no se negocian y el valor de la integridad. Como periodista fue fiel a la verdad y creyente de…" ("Thirty-three years ago I lost my mother, Diana Turbay, and today despite the time that has passed, my mother has been my motivation and example to work for our country. She taught me that principles are not negotiable and the value of integrity. As a journalist, she was faithful to the truth and a believer in...")The attack on Miguel Uribe has stirred concern across the nation. Political violence threatens to overshadow democratic processes. The arrest of a 15-year-old points to deeper societal problems needing urgent many Colombians, Uribe's survival is not just a personal matter. It is linked to a broader hope for peace and stability in a country long scarred by his wife pleaded, "Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him." The nation waits anxiously, holding onto hope for a recovery that could symbolise resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.
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First Post
7 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Colombian presidential candidate shot in head: Attack recalls tragic fate of mother who was killed by Pablo Escobar
Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in the head during a campaign event in Bogotá and is fighting for his life, his wife confirmed. The attack has drawn parallels with the fate of his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed in 1991 after being kidnapped by a gang linked to Pablo Escobar. read more Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot three times—twice in the head—during a campaign event in a park in Bogotá on Saturday. He is currently fighting for his life, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona confirmed. Local media reported that a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed the arrest and said authorities are investigating if others were involved. The motive for the attack remains unclear. Uribe comes from a prominent Colombian family. His mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist and the daughter of Colombia's 25th president, Julio César Turbay. In 1990, she was kidnapped by a gang working for drug lord Pablo Escobar and died during a failed rescue attempt. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Who was Diana Turbay? Diana Turbay was born in 1950 and was a respected journalist known for her sharp reporting and human touch. She founded and led the news magazine Hoy x Hoy and stood out for avoiding sensationalism during a time of intense violence in Colombia. Hace 33 años perdí a mi mamá, Diana Turbay y hoy a pesar del tiempo que ha pasado, mi mamá ha sido mi motivación y ejemplo para trabajar por nuestro país. Me enseñó que los principios no se negocian y el valor de la integridad. Como periodista fue fiel a la verdad y creyente de… — Miguel Uribe (@MiguelUribeT) January 25, 2024 In August 1990, she left Bogotá with a group of journalists to interview a guerrilla leader known as 'Cura Pérez.' But it was a trap. The supposed guerrillas were members of Los Priscos, a criminal group tied to Pablo Escobar. The aim was to kidnap public figures and pressure the Colombian government to stop extraditing drug traffickers to the US. Diana was held in captivity for nearly five months in the hills near Medellín. She reportedly remained calm, wrote letters to her family, and urged the government not to use force for her release. On January 25, 1991, a police rescue mission ended in tragedy. Diana was hit by a bullet during the operation and died shortly after surgery. It remains unclear whether the fatal shot came from her captors or the rescuers. Her family had opposed a forceful rescue, fearing exactly this outcome. Her story was later told in Gabriel García Márquez's News of a Kidnapping. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
News18
9 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Colombian Leader Shot At: Kidnapped By Pablo Escobar, His Journalist Mother Died During Rescue Op
Last Updated: 'Narcos' on Netflix to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'News of a Kidnapping', the story of Diana Turbay, a brave journalist and daughter of ex-President, and the botched rescue lives on Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot at thrice, twice in the head, during a rally in Bogota on Saturday. While Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, said he is 'fighting for his life", a 15-year-old boy has been arrested. Uribe's father was a union leader and businessman linked to the Liberal Party. His mother, Diana Turbay, a journalist and daughter of former Colombian president Julio Cesar Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by a group working under drug lord Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel. Soy Maria Claudia Tarazona, esposa de Miguel. Miguel está luchando en estos momentos por su vida. Pidamos a Dios que guíe las manos de los doctores que están atendiéndolo. Les pido a todos unirnos en una cadena de oración por la vida de Miguel. Pongo mi Fe en Dios 🙏🏼 — Miguel Uribe (@MiguelUribeT) June 8, 2025 HOW THE BRAVE JOURNALIST WAS TRAPPED Turbay was the founder of news magazine Hoy x Hoy who was known for her refusal to sensationalise violence, a rarity in Colombia's world of drug cartels at the time. Turbay, five other journalists and cameraman Richard Becerra were kidnapped on August 30, 1990, when she was tricked into going to a supposed interview with a guerrilla leader, the Spanish priest Manuel Pérez Martínez, alias El Cura Pérez from the ELN (National Liberation Army) in Antioquia. The guerrillas were members of Escobar-linked Los Priscos. She was held at a remote ranch in Copacabana, north of Medellin. She smuggled out letters, encouraged the release of another journalist and even won the respect of those who guarded her. DEATH MIRED IN CONTROVERSY On January 25, 1991, the Colombian police launched an operation to rescue her, without informing Turbay's family, which they botched up. Turbay was hit by a bullet in her back, which partially destroyed her liver and left kidney. Becerra was rescued unharmed. It was never confirmed whether the fatal shot came from her captors or the police, but the operation was widely condemned. JUST IN: Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe shot in Bogota during a political to local reports, Uribe was hit with a bullet and was rushed to the hospital. 'We energetically reject this attack that not only endangers the life of a political leader,… — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 8, 2025 IN POPULAR CULTURE Turbay's death was chronicled in author Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'News of a Kidnapping'. Her story also featured in popular Netflix series 'Narcos'.
