Colombian Conservative Presidential candidate SHOT in the Head – in critical condition
On June 7, 2025, Colombian Senator and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, was critically wounded in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Bogotá’s Fontibón neighborhood. The right-wing candidate, representing the conservative Democratic Center party, was shot three times—once in the knee and twice in the head—while addressing supporters in a public park. Uribe, a vocal critic of Colombia’s leftist President Gustavo Petro, was rushed to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where he underwent emergency neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedures. His wife, María Claudia Tarazona, reported that he is “fighting for his life” in critical condition.
Authorities arrested a 15-year-old suspect carrying a 9mm Glock-type firearm, and CCTV footage suggests a possible second suspect, prompting further investigation. Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the arrest and visited the hospital, while President Petro condemned the attack, calling it a “direct threat to democracy” and pledging a thorough investigation. The government has offered a reward for information on the attackers.
The attack drew international condemnation, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denouncing it as a result of “violent leftist rhetoric” from Petro’s administration. Spain and Venezuela also expressed solidarity, condemning the violence. Uribe’s party, founded by former President Álvaro Uribe (no relation), labeled the shooting an “unacceptable act of violence.” Supporters gathered outside the hospital, holding candlelight vigils and waving Colombian flags.
This incident, the first high-profile assassination attempt on a Colombian politician since 2018, has reignited fears of a return to the country’s violent political past. Uribe, whose mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a botched rescue from Pablo Escobar’s Medellín Cartel, hails from a prominent political family. The attack underscores rising tensions ahead of the 2026 presidential election, with analysts warning of escalating political polarization.