Colombian senator Miguel Uribe Turbay survives emergency surgery after campaign shooting
Colombian opposition Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot three times during a political event in Bogotá on Saturday. The 39-year-old, a declared candidate in the 2026 presidential race, underwent emergency surgery and survived the procedure, according to his family.
Uribe was attacked while addressing supporters in the Modelia neighborhood of the capital. Authorities say a 15-year-old gunman fired at the senator from behind, striking him twice in the head and once in the leg. The teenager was later apprehended and remains in custody.
The shooting has shocked Colombia, a country long plagued by political violence. Uribe is a member of the right-wing Centro Democrático party and a vocal critic of President Gustavo Petro. His family confirmed early Sunday that he survived the surgery at Fundación Santa Fe hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
"Miguel is fighting for his life right now. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him," said his wife, María Claudia Tarazona, in a message posted to social media. Hours later, she added, "Miguel made it through the surgery. He did it."
RCN Television reported that neurosurgeons were "optimistic" following the emergency procedure, which took place late Saturday. Bogotá’s mayor, Carlos Fernando Galán, told reporters the next few hours were crucial: "These are critical moments and hours for his survival."
Video captured by bystanders showed the moment of the shooting and the chaos that followed. According to security footage and eyewitness reports, the teenager attempted to flee but was caught nearby. During his arrest, he reportedly promised to name those behind the plot in exchange for his life. He was injured in the leg and is expected to undergo surgery, officials said.
The Colombian government has offered a reward of up to 3 billion pesos (approximately $750,000) for information leading to the arrest of the masterminds behind the attack. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed the formation of a high-level security council to address the incident.
President Gustavo Petro addressed the nation late Saturday, calling the attack "a failure of the government, of the state, of the entire nation." He said investigators would begin by reviewing the actions of Uribe’s security detail and added, "Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay is alive (...) all efforts are now focused on keeping him alive."
Uribe is the grandson of former President Julio César Turbay and the son of journalist Diana Turbay, who was kidnapped and later killed during a 1991 rescue operation ordered by drug lord Pablo Escobar. He had been polling at 4.4% in the early stages of the 2026 presidential race.
Petro urged Colombians to unite in rejecting political violence and stressed the importance of identifying those behind the attack: "It is essential to find the perpetrator by name, wherever they may be."
International condemnation of the shooting poured in throughout Sunday. Chilean President Gabriel Boric wrote, "In democracy, there is no room or justification for violence." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in, urging the Petro administration to tone down "incendiary rhetoric" and warning that Colombia "cannot afford to return to the dark days of political violence."
As vigils continued outside the hospital and on social media, Colombia’s political class echoed calls for calm and unity. Mayor Galán and other leaders warned that "violence that seeks to eliminate those who think differently" is a serious threat to Colombia’s fragile democracy.
Sources: El Mundo, El País
