Miguel Uribe Turbay, senator and presidential hopeful, has died after spending two months in intensive care following a shooting at a political rally. The attack, carried out by a minor acting as a hitman, occurred in Bogota on June 7 as Uribe sought his party’s nomination for the 2026 elections.
Uribe, a member of a prominent political family and a right-wing opposition congressman, had become a symbol of hope for many supporters. His death marks the deadliest act of political violence in Colombia in two decades, evoking memories of the 1980s and 1990s when four presidential candidates were assassinated in separate attacks linked to drug cartels.
“Every time a Colombian is murdered, it is a defeat for Colombia and for life,” President Gustavo Petro wrote on X, calling for a thorough investigation, assisted by international experts.
Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, shared her grief on social media: “I ask God to show me the way to live without you. Rest in peace, love of my life; I will take care of our children.”
The Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where Uribe underwent multiple procedures and where supporters held vigils throughout his treatment, announced his death at 1:56 a.m. on Monday due to a hemorrhage in his central nervous system.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed condolences, stating, “The United States stands in solidarity with his family and the Colombian people, both in mourning and demanding justice for those responsible.”
Former President Alvaro Uribe, leader of the Democratic Center party (no relation to the deceased senator), wrote, “Evil destroys everything; they killed hope. May Miguel’s fight be a light that illuminates Colombia’s right path.”
Six people have been arrested in connection with Uribe’s assassination, including two men the attorney general’s office says met in Medellin to plan the attack. A 15-year-old, accused of carrying out the shooting, was apprehended within hours, but police continue to search for the so-called “intellectual authors” behind the plot.
In a video of the boy’s detention from June, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard claiming he was recruited by a local drug dealer.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged on Monday to bring all responsible parties to justice. “We will not allow the violent to intimidate or silence political voices needed in our democracy,” he wrote on X.
The government has announced a 3 billion-peso (around $740,000) reward for information leading to the identification and capture of the perpetrators. The investigation is also receiving assistance from the United States, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Uribe’s death adds another chapter to his family’s tragic history. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a failed rescue operation after being kidnapped by the Medellin Cartel, led by Pablo Escobar.
A rising star in Colombian politics, Uribe quickly became a lawmaker for the right-wing Democratic Center party and a presidential candidate known for his sharp criticism of leftist President Gustavo Petro. On the day he was shot, Uribe used social media to stress the importance of the separation of powers and to reject a referendum on a labor reform measure proposed by Petro.