Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential candidate for the 2026 presidential election, was shot and wounded during a campaign event in Bogota, Colombia’s capital. According to authorities, the 39-year-old senator was shot on Saturday and is currently “fighting for his life,” as stated by his wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, on X. Uribe is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party, founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, to whom he is not related.
The Democratic Center party released a statement condemning the shooting as “an unacceptable act of violence.” The party claimed that Uribe was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighborhood when “armed subjects” shot him from behind. The attack’s severity was emphasized, but further details on Uribe’s condition were not disclosed initially. A medical report later revealed that Uribe was admitted in critical condition and underwent a “neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure” at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital.
Videos on social media showed Uribe being tended to after the shooting, with visible bleeding from his head. According to Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office, Uribe received two gunshot wounds, and two others were wounded in the attack. A 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene with a firearm. The government has offered a $730,000 reward for information in the case.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro “categorically and forcefully” rejected the violent attack and called for a thorough investigation. Petro expressed solidarity with Uribe’s family, saying, “Respect life, that’s the red line… My solidarity with the Uribe family and the Turbay family. I don’t know how to ease their pain.” The investigation will focus on identifying who ordered the attack and examining potential failures in security protocols.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attempted assassination, blaming Petro’s “inflammatory rhetoric” for the violence. Reactions from Latin America were swift, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric stating, “There is no room or justification for violence in a democracy,” and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa saying, “We condemn all forms of violence and intolerance.” Both presidents offered solidarity to Uribe’s family. Former President Uribe described the attack as targeting “the hope of the country, a great husband, father, son, brother, a great colleague”.