Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential candidate in next year’s presidential election, has been shot and wounded in Bogota, sparking widespread condemnation from the government, opposition parties, and international leaders. Uribe, 39, was shot twice in the head and once in the knee during a campaign event in the Fontibon district of Bogota on Saturday afternoon. A 15-year-old boy, carrying a Glock pistol, was arrested at the scene of the shooting.
According to eyewitnesses, Uribe was giving a speech when multiple loud bangs rang out, and he was seen lying on the ground as people around him fled. Police and civilians rushed him to an ambulance, and he is currently undergoing neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedures at the Santa Fe de Bogota Foundation hospital. His condition is stable but critical.
In a broadcast statement, Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the attack and vowed to hunt down those responsible. “No resource should be spared, not a single peso or a single moment of energy, to find the mastermind… Wherever they live, whether in Colombia or abroad,” Petro said, suggesting that other criminals may have been involved. He pointed to a pattern of Colombian criminals taking advantage of minors and promised an independent investigation to determine the “intellectual authors” of the attack.
Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, posted a message on his X account asking for prayers for his recovery. “Miguel is fighting for his life right now. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him,” she wrote. The hospital reported that Uribe is undergoing “neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedures”.
The attack drew condemnation from the Colombian government, the Democratic Center party, and international leaders, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attributed the attack to “the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government.” Rubio urged President Petro to dial back “the inflammatory rhetoric”.
Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez Suárez announced a $3 billion pesos ($730,000) reward for information that helps authorities track down those responsible for the attack. At least four former presidents – Ernesto Samper, Álvaro Uribe Vélez, Juan Manuel Santos, and Iván Duque – issued condemnations, with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa also sending his prayers to Uribe’s family and condemning all forms of violence and intolerance.