Campaigning candidate for the presidency of Colombia, Miguel Uribe Turbay, succumbs to injuries sustained during a shooting incident at a political rally.
Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay Assassinated
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a prominent Colombian senator and member of the opposition right-wing Democratic Centre Party, passed away in a hospital in Bogota on Monday. Uribe Turbay was a candidate for the presidency of Colombia, seeking the Democratic Centre nomination for the 2026 presidential election.
The tragic event occurred during a political event at a park in the Fontibon neighborhood of Bogota, where Uribe Turbay was shot. The shooting took place two months prior, on 7 June. The cause of death was gunshot wounds sustained on that day, specifically to the head and leg. A teenager was arrested at the scene, and several other individuals have since been detained in connection with the crime.
Uribe Turbay's political views were conservative, aligning him with the right-wing Democratic Centre party. This positioning placed him as a key opponent to the leftist policies of President Gustavo Petro. Despite his criticism of Petro's administration, Uribe Turbay had enjoyed a rapid rise in politics following his mother's tragic death in a botched rescue mission after being kidnapped by a drug cartel in the 1990s.
Uribe Turbay's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, confirmed his death and expressed her grief in a social media post. In her message, she asked God to show her the way to learn to live without Uribe Turbay. The shooting of Uribe Turbay has renewed concerns about the safety of politicians in Colombia.
Following Uribe Turbay's assassination, President Petro publicly condemned the attack and showed solidarity, recalling the tragic killing of Uribe Turbay's mother years before. However, Petro's government faced criticism from opposition parties, including Uribe Turbay's Democratic Centre, regarding security measures for political candidates, highlighting tensions between Petro’s administration and the opposition right.
Uribe Turbay's paternal grandfather, Rodrigo Uribe Echavarria, headed the Liberal Party and supported Virgilio Barco's successful 1986 presidential campaign. His maternal grandfather, Julio Cesar Turbay, was the President of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.
Before his death, Uribe Turbay underwent multiple surgeries. In the aftermath of the shooting, there was a growing outpouring of support for his family and the Democratic Centre Party, as well as calls for justice and improved security measures for all Colombian politicians.
The assassination of Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay during a political event has renewed concerns about the safety of politicians in general-news, sparking discussions about crime-and-justice. Uribe Turbay's conservative political views, particularly his opposition to President Gustavo Petro's leftist policies, have led to tensions between Petro’s administration and the opposition right in politics.
