Who Is Miguel Uribe, Colombian Senator And Presidential Hopeful Shot In Bogota?

Last Updated:June 08, 2025, 09:02 IST

Miguel Uribe, a Colombian senator, was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt while addressing a political event in Bogota. He comes from an influential family in Colombia.

Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe was shot in a political rally in Bogota. (AFP)

Miguel Uribe Turbay, a Colombian opposition senator and candidate in next year’s presidential election, was shot and wounded in an assassination attempt in Bogota on Saturday, while he was addressing a rally in the country’s capital.

Uribe, 39, was in critical condition after being shot three times, including twice in the head, according to paramedics. The suspected attacker was in custody, said Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan. Uribe was rushed to the hospital and was receiving emergency care, and the “entire hospital network" of the Colombian capital was on alert in case he needed to be transferred, Galan informed.

Colombia’s presidency issued a statement saying the government “categorically and forcefully" rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place. “I don’t know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a wounded homeland," Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X.

Who Is Miguel Uribe?

The 39-year-old senator, who is running for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition right-wing Democratic Centre party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related.

He belongs to a prominent family in Colombia, which has links to the country’s Liberal Party. Uribe’s father was a businessman and union leader. His mother was journalist Diane Turbay, who was kidnapped by notorious narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar’s Medellin cartel and killed during a rescue operation.

Last October, he announced his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election. While Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government, an assassination attempt on a high-profile political figure has not been seen since the 1990s, according to CBS News.

Assassination Attempt On Uribe

The Democratic Centre party issued a statement condemning the attack, saying Uribe was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighbourhood of Bogota when “armed subjects shot him in the back."

A video circulating on social media shows 39-year-old Miguel Uribe giving a speech in front of several people when gunshots suddenly ring out. Other images show him being carried by several people as he was slumped against the hood of a car.

Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez meanwhile said on X that authorities were offering a reward of around $700,000 for information leading to the capture of those behind the attack.

(with agency inputs)

Bogota, Colombia

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