Colombian presidential candidate fights for life; suspect detained
Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot twice at a campaign event in Bogota on Sunday. The 39-year-old conservative candidate for president needs "a miracle" to survive, according to his wife.
The incident occurred during a presidential campaign event in Bogota on Sunday. An alleged 15-year-old attacker shot Turbay twice in the head at close range. The authorities managed to detain the suspect, who is said to have suffered injuries during the struggle with the security guard and is receiving treatment.
Miguel Uribe Turbay was immediately transported by an aircraft to the hospital, where he received treatment. The candidate survived the initial emergency surgery; however, his condition remains "extremely serious." "He fought the first battle and fought it well. He is fighting for his life," stated the politician's wife.
The motive for the attempted assassination remains unknown. Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez, Colombia’s Defence Minister, vowed to launch an investigation into the attack, while also announcing a 3 billion peso (£540,000) reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the people responsible for the shooting.
Security detail cut on the day of the attack
On Monday, Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, shared an unexpected revelation. According to Petro, the number of security guards responsible for protecting the presidential candidate was reduced from seven to three people on the day of the attack.
Uribe’s lawyer, Victor Mosquera, announced that a criminal complaint has been filed against the security unit responsible for protecting high-profile and at-risk individuals. He added that he has made over 20 requests for increased security for Senator Uribe this year alone.
Miguel Uribe Turbay's background
Miguel Uribe Turbay is a senator from the opposition Centro Democrático party. He is a conservative candidate for the next presidential elections in 2026. He is one of the most outspoken critics of the leftwing President Gustavo Petro.
Uribe comes from a distinguished and politically influential Colombian family. His grandfather, Julio César Turbay Ayala, held the nation's highest office as president between 1978 and 1982. His father built a career as both a businessman and a leader within the labour movement. Uribe's mother, Diana Turbay, was a respected journalist whose life was tragically ended during a failed rescue mission in 1990. She had been abducted by a militant faction operating under the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar.
