A 15-year-old hitman shot Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay in the head at a Bogotá campaign rally, leaving the far-right senator fighting for his life and plunging Colombia back into its violent political past.
Key Takeaways
- Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in the head during a campaign rally in Bogotá by a teenage hitman, sending shock waves across Colombia
- The attack marks the first high-profile assassination attempt on a Colombian politician in decades, raising fears of a return to the country’s violent political history
- Uribe remains in critical condition following emergency surgery, with the incident intensifying political polarization in Colombia
- Colombian authorities have apprehended the 15-year-old shooter and offered rewards for information about who ordered the attack
- The shooting has prompted urgent calls for increased security for political candidates ahead of Colombia’s presidential election
Brutal Attack Shocks Colombian Political Landscape
Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay is fighting for his life after being shot in the head during a campaign rally in Bogotá. The shocking assassination attempt, captured on video, occurred in broad daylight as Uribe addressed supporters. According to police reports, the attack was carried out by a 15-year-old paid hitman who was immediately apprehended following the shooting. The teenage assailant’s involvement suggests organized criminal elements may be behind the attack, raising serious concerns about the infiltration of criminal groups into Colombia’s political process.
The victim, a far-right politician and protégé of former president Álvaro Uribe (no relation), has undergone emergency surgery and remains in critical condition. Doctors are working frantically to save the senator as supporters gather outside the hospital. The attack has shattered Colombia’s relative political stability of recent years and evoked memories of the country’s violent past when political assassinations were tragically common. Many Colombians now fear this incident could mark a return to the darkest chapter of their nation’s political history.
Political Fallout and Security Concerns
The assassination attempt has dramatically intensified Colombia’s already polarized political climate. Supporters of Uribe have openly blamed left-wing President Gustavo Petro for creating conditions that enabled the attack, citing what they view as a deteriorating security situation under his administration. President Petro has ordered a thorough investigation, but the incident has already deepened the country’s political divisions. Security experts point to the attack as evidence of significant gaps in protection protocols for political candidates, especially as Colombia approaches its presidential election.
“At this moment, Miguel is fighting for his life. We ask God to guide the hands of the doctors treating him,” Said Maria Claudia Tarazona, Uribe’s wife.
The shooting has drawn immediate comparisons to the 1989 assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán, a pivotal moment in Colombia’s struggle against narco-terrorism and political violence. Security analysts warn that this attack could represent a dangerous regression in Colombia’s hard-won political stability. The Ministry of Defense has offered substantial rewards for information about who ordered the hit, acknowledging that the teenage shooter was likely just a pawn in a larger conspiracy. The fact that a 15-year-old could get close enough to a presidential candidate to attempt an assassination highlights severe security protocol failures.
International Response and Future Implications
The attempted assassination has drawn international condemnation and raised alarms about Colombia’s political stability. Security experts have noted that the attack demonstrates serious vulnerabilities in the protection of political figures. The incident comes at a particularly sensitive time as Colombia prepares for presidential elections, raising questions about whether adequate security can be provided for all candidates. Several political parties have suspended campaign activities temporarily, while officials reassess security protocols. The attack has effectively changed the entire tenor of Colombia’s presidential race.
“Whoever ordered this assassination… very clearly had the intention of throwing gas onto a fire, trying to be incendiary in an electoral context that is already deeply polarized,” Said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
Protests have erupted across Colombia in response to the shooting, with Uribe’s supporters demanding justice and improved security measures. Political analysts fear this violence could trigger a cycle of retaliation and further destabilize Colombia’s democracy. Security expert Sergio Guzmán summed up the situation bluntly: “Evidently this [attack] shows an erosion of Colombia’s security and political climate in the short term.” The coming days will be critical not only for Uribe’s recovery but for the preservation of Colombia’s democratic processes in the face of renewed political violence.
