Presidential Hopeful Shot and Critically Wounded

Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a leading conservative hopeful for the 2026 presidential election, was shot multiple times during a campaign event in Bogotá’s Fontibón neighbourhood on Saturday. The 39-year-old was attacked from behind by armed assailants while speaking at a public park and was immediately rushed to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital in critical condition, undergoing neurosurgical and vascular procedures.

Uribe sustained at least two gunshot wounds, including reportedly two to the head, and was seen bleeding heavily in videos shared on social media. Two others were injured in the attack. A 15-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene with a firearm.

The senator is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Centre party, founded by former President Álvaro Uribe, though the two are not related. His family has a tragic history of political violence: his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped and killed during a rescue attempt by Pablo Escobar’s cartel in 1991.

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The Colombian government condemned the attack as a grave act of violence against democracy and called for a full investigation. President Gustavo Petro expressed solidarity with Uribe’s family and cancelled a planned overseas trip to focus on the situation. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the shooting, attributing it to political tensions in Colombia.

Authorities have offered a reward of approximately $730,000 for information leading to those responsible. The investigation is ongoing as Colombia grapples with its long history of political violence amid a tense presidential race.