Colombian senator Miguel Uribe Turbay assaulted during his June election campaign
In the early hours of June 7th, 2025, Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay lost his life following an attack during a political rally. The news has sent shockwaves through the nation, marking the first direct act of violence against a politician in over 30 years.
Uribe, a 39-year-old member of the Centro Demócrata party, had been a prominent figure in Colombia's political landscape. He rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming a councilman of Bogotá at the age of 25 and securing a seat in the Senate in the 2022 legislative elections with the slogan "Colombia First." Uribe was also a presidential pre-candidate, a fact that has added to the gravity of his untimely death.
The attack has reignited fears of Colombia reliving the tragic episodes of political violence of the 90s, when three presidential candidates were assassinated. The Bogotá Mayor's Office has announced three days of mourning, and the Government of Spain has expressed its regret at Uribe's death and condemned the violence.
The investigation into Uribe's assassination has been classified as a crime against humanity, implying a broader and more severe legal framework for prosecution. As of August 2025, four individuals have been formally charged with aggravated homicide and being accomplices to the murder. The accused are currently under investigation by the Colombian Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The assassination has had a significant impact on Colombia’s political landscape. Uribe's death has deeply affected Colombian society, which had previously endured the loss of political leaders in similar violent incidents. The case remains active and closely followed given its political and social ramifications in Colombia.
Uribe's personal life was also marked by tragedy. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a failed rescue mission after being kidnapped by the Medellín Cartel. His paternal grandfather, Rodrigo Uribe Echavarría, led the Liberal Party and supported the successful presidential campaign of Virgilio Barco in 1986. His maternal grandfather, Julio César Turbay, was president of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado expressed her sorrow and affection for Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay. Uribe died in a Bogotá clinic after undergoing multiple surgeries. The Prosecutor's Office has announced that the case will be classified as magnicide, a term referring to the assassination of a high-ranking public official. The alleged perpetrator, a 15-year-old adolescent, was detained shortly after the attack.
This tragic event serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges with political violence in Colombia. The nation mourns the loss of a promising political leader and hopes for justice in this sensitive case.
References:
- El Tiempo
- BBC News
- The Guardian
- CNN
The average coverage in general-news outlets of Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay's assassination, war-and-conflicts, and politics has significantly increased, with ongoing investigations and public concern over potential resurgence of political violence in Colombia. Meanwhile, crime-and-justice reports have spotlighted the magnicide charge and the detention of the alleged perpetrator, as well as the formal charges against four individuals in relation to the attack.
