• Source:JND
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Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a leading opposition figure and possible candidate for the 2026 presidential election, was targeted and shot and left seriously injured at a campaign rally in Bogota on Saturday, officials and his political party said. The 39-year-old senator of the right-wing Democratic Center party, which former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe established, was hosting a campaign event at a Fontibon neighborhood park when he was shot in the back by armed men, the party said in a press release.

Local media reports and photos on social media revealed Uribe Turbay bleeding from a head wound that appeared to be serious, being assisted by people at the scene. Though no official medical bulletin has yet been issued, the senator is reported to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency care at a nearby hospital. Bogota Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán reiterated the fact that the entire hospital system in the city has been put on alert and that one suspect has already been apprehended about the shooting. Colombia's Defense Minister, Pedro Sanchez, stated that an investigation is underway and authorities are probing the possibility of additional suspects. He also went to the hospital where Uribe is admitted. Colombian authorities strongly condemned the attack, denouncing it as an "unacceptable act of violence" and promising that there would be a proper investigation. President Gustavo Petro, a left-wing leader, sympathised with Uribe's family in a social media message. "I don't know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland," he stated.

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Who Is Uribe Turbay?

Uribe Turbay comes from a well-known Colombian political family. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was abducted in 1990 by an armed gang linked to deceased drug lord Pablo Escobar and was shot dead during a rescue attempt. His father was a businessman and labor leader. Even though he comes from a family traditionally associated with the Liberal Party, Uribe has proved to be a conservative senator. Considered a strong contender in the May 2026 presidential elections, Uribe was actively campaigning against the left-wing government's policies.

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His shooting marks a worrying escalation in political violence in Colombia, which still grapples with the remnants of armed conflict between leftist rebels, drug cartels, and paramilitary units. The federal government also put up a reward for information that would lead to the arrest of accomplices in the shooting.