Colombian presidential candidate Uribe perished two months following the attempted assassination. - Colombian presidential candidate Uribe met his demise two months following the assassination event.
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a conservative Colombian Senator and presidential candidate, was tragically assassinated on August 11, 2025, two months after an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Bogotá [1][2][4]. The 61-year-old politician had been hospitalized since the June 7 shooting.
Uribe, a senator and member of the Democratic Center party of former president Álvaro Uribe, was a vocal critic of leftist president Gustavo Petro and a staunch opponent of guerrilla groups and powerful drug cartels in Colombia. His political stance earned him recognition as a "courageous voice for freedom" [3].
The assassination attempt was suspected to be carried out by a splinter group of the disbanded guerrilla organization FARC. The 15-year-old shooter was apprehended after the incident, and six suspects, including the alleged shooter, were arrested shortly after [2][4].
Uribe's life was marked by personal tragedy and determination. At the age of 26, he was elected to the Bogotá city council and later became its youngest chairman. His mother was kidnapped and shot when he was a child, which led to his determination to "fight against violence and drug terrorism" [4]. Uribe earned a master's degree in public administration from the US elite university Harvard.
The assassination of Uribe has led to national and international reactions emphasizing the need for peaceful and safe electoral processes in Colombia. Security concerns about candidate protection and investigations into the perpetrators have been heightened [2][4]. Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez stated that it is a sad day for the country.
However, fears among many people in Colombia that the assassination attempt could lead to a spiral of violence like in the 80s and 90s have not been realized so far. The Colombian authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety and security of all political candidates in the upcoming elections.
It is important to note that Miguel Uribe Turbay and Alvaro Uribe, the former president, are not related. Alvaro Uribe was the grandson of former president Julio César Turbay (1978-1982).
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58043029 [2] https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombian-senator-miguel-uribe-turbay-dies-after-june-shooting-2021-08-14/ [3] https://www.elheraldo.co/colombia/senador-miguel-uribe-turbay-muere-despues-de-intento-de-asesinato-2739734 [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/11/colombian-senator-miguel-uribe-turbay-dies-after-june-shooting
The Commission, in response to Uribe's assassination, has taken measures to protect the Community's financial interests, ensuring that such incidents do not encourage political instability and violence, considered a threat to general news and crime-and-justice sectors.
Given the sensitive nature of Uribe's assassination and its potential impact on politics and security, there has been increased attention from both national and international media, covering general news, crime-and-justice, and politics, as well as expressions of grief and calls for peace.
