Presidential contender in Colombia sustain gunshot wounds
In the heart of Bogota, politics took a grim turn as Senator Miguel Uribe, a prominent right-wing presidential candidate, faced a harrowing ordeal.
A tragedy unfolded during a campaign event when a gunman unleashed chaos, shooting Uribe three times—twice in the head and once in the knee. Before being apprehended, the assailant, believed to be a 15-year-old minor, managed to stir up a whirlwind of panic and fear.
Witnesses at the scene captured the aftermath, showing a blood-stained Uribe slumped against a white car, being held steady by a group of folks trying to stanch the bleeding. The bravery of an on-site security guard came to the fore as they apprehended the suspected attacker.
Uribe was quickly flown to the Santa Fe Clinic in Bogota, where he underwent a "neurosurgical" and "peripheral vascular procedure," the clinic confirmed. Delivering a trembling hope, his wife posted on his X account, "He is fighting for his life at this moment."
Police director Carlos Fernando Triana reported the suspect was injured in the ensuing altercation and was receiving treatment. Two others, a man and a woman, were also injured in the shooting incident, and a Glock-style firearm was recovered.
As the news spread, Colombians felt the weight of despair. Carolina Gomez, a 41-year-old businesswoman, bowed her head in prayer, her candles flickering too, "Colombia hurts."
Motives behind the attack remain elusive, as Colombia's minister of defense, Pedro Sanchez, vowed to investigate thoroughly, employing all available military, police and intelligence services. To aid the investigation, a roughly US$725,000 reward has been announced for credible leads about the attack's perpetrators.
Censure echoed across the political landscape, with international voices joining in. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed the attack as a "direct threat to democracy." According to Rubio, the assault is the "result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government" and urged Colombia's President Gustavo Petro to "dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials."
Petro "categorically and forcefully" denounced the attack, labeling it an attack against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia.
The incident sparked an outpouring of solidarity. Supporters gathered outside the hospital, their candles casting wavering shadows, as they fervently prayed for Uribe's recovery.
Uribe's party issued a statement, describing the attack as an ambush from behind. Alvaro Uribe, the party leader and former president, termed the incident an assault on "a hope for the country." Miguel Uribe, not related to Alvaro, assumed the role of senator in 2022, having previously served as Bogota's government secretary and city councilor. He also ran for city mayor in 2019 but fell short of victory.
Colombia continues to grapple with political violence, home to several armed guerrilla groups, powerful cartels, and a history steeped in bloodshed. The son of Diana Turbay, a prominent Colombian journalist killed by the Medellin Cartel, Miguel Uribe bears the burden of his family's legacy. One of his grandfathers, Julio Cesar Turbay, served as Colombia's president from 1978 to 1982.
Stay tuned for updates as the investigation unfolds and the road to recovery begins for the brave senator.
[1] https://www.elheraldo.co/colombia/amalia-rueda-reyes-esposa-de-miguel-uribe-incluida-mayormente-de-lo-que-ha-ocasionado-la-incidente/araticle/37707184
Driven by the events, general news outlets increased coverage on both the politics and crime-and-justice sectors.
A heightened sense of unease permeated the nation as the investigation into the unsolved motives behind the attack deepened, drawing attention from international bodies such as the US State Department and placing a spotlight on Colombia's persistent challenges within its political landscape.
