Colombian senator Miguel Uribe Turbay undergoes emergency surgery after being shot during a campaign stop

Key Information:

• Critical Injury: Opposition Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot three times at a political event in Bogotá; he remains in critical condition after emergency surgery.
• Teen Gunman in Custody: Authorities say a 15-year-old suspect opened fire and later promised to name accomplices if spared.
• Security Failures: Colombian officials have launched a high-level investigation and are reviewing the senator’s protective detail.
• Political Fallout: The incident has reignited fears of political violence in Colombia and drawn global condemnation.
• Electoral Implications: Uribe, a declared presidential candidate for 2026, had been polling at 4.4% before the attack.

Colombian opposition figure and senator Miguel Uribe Turbay remains in critical condition after being shot multiple times during a public appearance on Saturday in the capital. The 39-year-old, who is running for president in 2026, underwent emergency neurosurgery at Fundación Santa Fe hospital and survived the procedure, according to statements from his family.

Uribe was reportedly shot twice in the head and once in the leg while speaking to supporters in the Modelia district. Authorities confirmed that the assailant, identified as a 15-year-old male, was apprehended shortly after attempting to flee the scene. Officials say the teenager has since claimed he is willing to name the masterminds behind the shooting in exchange for his life. He is also expected to undergo surgery for a leg injury sustained during the incident.

"This is a failure of the government, of the state, of the entire nation," President Gustavo Petro said in an address late Saturday. He emphasized that investigators will start by assessing the actions of Uribe’s security team, adding, "Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay is alive (...) all efforts are now focused on keeping him alive."

Uribe’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, took to social media early Sunday, urging prayers for her husband. "Miguel is fighting for his life right now. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him," she wrote. She later confirmed that he had survived the operation, posting, "Miguel made it through the surgery. He did it."

Authorities have offered a reward of up to 3 billion Colombian pesos (approximately CAD 1 million) for information leading to the arrest of the organizers of the attack. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez said a high-level security council has been activated to investigate the incident and evaluate broader threats against public officials.

The attack has sparked deep concern both domestically and abroad, with many seeing it as a troubling sign of Colombia’s enduring vulnerability to politically motivated violence. Chilean President Gabriel Boric condemned the shooting in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "In democracy, there is no room or justification for violence." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added his voice, urging Colombian leaders to "tone down incendiary rhetoric" and warning against a return to the country’s darker political chapters.

The incident also brings renewed scrutiny to Colombia’s volatile political environment. Uribe is a member of the right-leaning Centro Democrático party and a known critic of President Petro’s administration. His family lineage includes prominent public figures, such as former President Julio César Turbay and journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed during a botched rescue operation in 1991 after being kidnapped by a drug cartel.

With the 2026 presidential race already underway, the shooting is expected to reshape campaign dynamics and intensify pressure on the government to ensure candidate security. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán underscored the gravity of the moment, stating, "These are critical moments and hours for his survival," while cautioning against the normalization of political violence. "Violence that seeks to eliminate those who think differently is a serious threat to Colombia’s democracy," he warned.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC News