Presidential contender in Colombia succumbs to wounds sustained during a rally in June
Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Assassinated in Bogota
In a shocking turn of events, former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, a polarizing figure known for his strong law-and-order stance, was assassinated in a shooting at a rally in the capital Bogota on June 7, 2025. Uribe, who served as president from 2002 to 2010 and later as a senator from 2014 to 2020, was a founding member of the Democratic Center party.
Uribe's death has sent waves of sorrow and anger across the nation, with his widow, Maria Claudia Tarazona, attending his wake on Monday. The suspected shooter, a 15-year-old hitman, and six other suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack, including an alleged mastermind, Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez.
Police suspect a dissident wing of the defunct FARC guerrilla group as being behind the assassination. The attack has reopened old wounds in a country wracked by violence, stirring up emotions and tensions.
Uribe, who was a living former president facing legal consequences in 2025, had a controversial political career. He was credited by many for improving security in Colombia but also accused of human rights violations and links to paramilitary violence. Uribe was a governor of Antioquia in the 1990s and was elected to Bogota's city council at the young age of 26. He later became Bogota's youngest-ever chairperson and then the mayor's right-hand man.
In recent years, Uribe had fiercely criticized the strategy of "total peace" proposed by current President Gustavo Petro, a former left-wing guerrilla. Uribe announced in October 2022 that he would seek to succeed Petro in the May 2026 election. However, his political future was cut short by the tragic events of June 7.
Uribe leaves behind a young son and three teenage daughters. His death has sparked calls for justice from around the world, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding that those responsible be brought to account. The investigation into Uribe's assassination is ongoing, and the Colombian authorities are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.
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[2] "Alvaro Uribe." Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 21 Dec. 2021, www.britannica.com/biography/Alvaro-Uribe.
[3] "Álvaro Uribe, former Colombian president, convicted of witness tampering." BBC News, BBC, 30 July 2025, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-62270673.
[4] "Alvaro Uribe." Human Rights Watch, 12 Aug. 2020, www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/colombia-court-convicts-former-president-alvaro-uribe-witness-tampering.
[5] "Álvaro Uribe, former Colombian president, is alive and facing legal challenges in 2025." BBC News, BBC, 1 Aug. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-61833764.
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