Senator Uribe's assassination might sway Colombia's upcoming presidential vote
In a shocking turn of events, Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a presidential pre-candidate and prominent critic of the current government, was assassinated two months after an attack during a political rally in Bogota. Uribe's death, which occurred on June 7, 2025, has forced Colombia to confront its history of violence once more.
Uribe, a member of the Democratic Center party, served as a senator since 2022. His presidential bid for the 2026 elections was announced at the site where his mother was killed, a poignant and powerful gesture that resonated with many Colombians. In July 2024, Uribe led the presidential voting intention, according to a poll by Guarumo-Econoanalítica.
The Democratic Center had planned a poll in October to select its 2026 candidate, but a decision has not been announced since Uribe's death. The party, which unified anti-Petro voices around Uribe after the attack, could be influenced by the voices of Uribe's wife, María Claudia Tarazona, and party leader Álvaro Uribe Vélez.
The investigation into Uribe's assassination suggests that organized criminal elements may have been involved. A teenage gunman, Carlos Eduardo Mora González, was arrested at the scene and admitted to acting for money. Investigators found the weapon, a 9mm Glock-style pistol, was legally purchased in Mesa, Arizona, in 2020, but how it entered Colombia remains under investigation. Several other individuals have been charged with logistics, planning, and masterminding the attack, including Elder José Arteaga Hernández, who is alleged to be the mastermind.
President Gustavo Petro, who is the first leftist president in Colombia's modern history, said his government is focused on "the protection and expansion of life." However, the assassination of Uribe marks a return to a period of political violence in Colombia, which has the highest record of such political crimes in Latin America. The country has experienced waves of political violence, including the murder of leftist leaders and presidential candidates in the 1980s.
Uribe's death will be a focal point in the debate, putting the Petro government's performance under scrutiny and returning Colombia to uncertainty and fear over persistent violence. Overcoming the challenge of preventing political violence seems more out of reach than ever after Uribe's death.
Investigations into the assassination are ongoing, with authorities offering a reward for information and having arrested multiple suspects involved at different levels. Although several suspects are in custody, the motive is officially still undetermined publicly. The investigation remains active, with legal proceedings ongoing against those arrested related to the assassination attempt that led to Uribe Turbay’s death in August 2025.
[References] 1. BBC News. (2025, August 10). Colombia: Suspects arrested over assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56266070 2. The Guardian. (2025, August 12). Colombia senator Miguel Uribe: Who was he and why was he killed? Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/colombia-senator-miguel-uribe-who-was-he-and-why-was-he-killed 3. Reuters. (2025, August 15). Colombia's Petro says government focused on "protection and expansion of life" after Uribe's assassination. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-petro-says-government-focused-protection-and-expansion-life-after-urbies-2025-08-15/
- The assassination of Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a candidate for the 2026 elections, has become a pivotal issue in the region's general news and politics, bringing to light the country's ongoing struggles with war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice.
- The World is closely watching the investigation into Uribe's assassination, which involves organized criminal elements, to understand the implications for policy-and-legislation and the potential impact on Colombia's volatile political landscape.
- The tragic death of Senator Miguel Uribe has highlighted the persistent issue of political violence in the Americas, resurfacing concerns about the role of politics in society, and highlighting the need for effective policy-and-legislation aimed at preventing such tragedies.
