A Colombian presidential candidate is currently in a critical condition following a violent attack at a campaign rally in Bogotá. Miguel Uribe Turbay, aged 39 and a senator representing the conservative Centro Democratico party, was shot three times, including twice in the head, while addressing his supporters on Saturday. The incident unfolded in a park, and the shocking moment was captured on video, leading to panic among the crowd.
Colombian Presidential Candidate Shot While Campaigning, Remains Critical
Colombian Presidential Candidate Shot While Campaigning, Remains Critical
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a right-wing senator, fights for his life after being shot during a rally, raising national security concerns.
Authorities swiftly apprehended a 15-year-old suspect at the scene. According to the attorney general's office, the young suspect also sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the pursuit by police and security personnel. He was found with a 9mm Glock-type firearm. An investigation is currently underway to determine the motives behind the attack.
Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, urged the nation to pray for her husband's survival. "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him," she said. Following the shooting, Uribe was airlifted to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery on his head and left thigh. Hospital officials reported that he remains in an extremely serious condition.
The shooting has been met with widespread condemnation, with Uribe's party calling it an affront to democracy and freedom in Colombia. The government, led by left-wing President Gustavo Petro, described the attack as an act of violence against not only Uribe but democracy itself. Petro extended his well wishes to Uribe in a national address, emphasizing the necessity for all Colombians to focus on his recovery amidst the political turmoil.
Uribe, who recently announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, comes from a notable political family steeped in Colombia's history. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was tragically killed in a kidnapping incident linked to the Medellin drug cartel in 1991. The current climate of hostility between government factions has drawn comparisons to the violence of Colombia's past.
As tensions continue to rise in the nation, with violent rhetoric becoming increasingly commonplace, observers worry that Uribe's attack could signal a disturbing resurgence of political violence reminiscent of earlier tumultuous periods in Colombian history. Calls for unity and a return to peace are echoing in the wake of this alarming act against a political candidate.
Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, urged the nation to pray for her husband's survival. "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him," she said. Following the shooting, Uribe was airlifted to the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery on his head and left thigh. Hospital officials reported that he remains in an extremely serious condition.
The shooting has been met with widespread condemnation, with Uribe's party calling it an affront to democracy and freedom in Colombia. The government, led by left-wing President Gustavo Petro, described the attack as an act of violence against not only Uribe but democracy itself. Petro extended his well wishes to Uribe in a national address, emphasizing the necessity for all Colombians to focus on his recovery amidst the political turmoil.
Uribe, who recently announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, comes from a notable political family steeped in Colombia's history. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was tragically killed in a kidnapping incident linked to the Medellin drug cartel in 1991. The current climate of hostility between government factions has drawn comparisons to the violence of Colombia's past.
As tensions continue to rise in the nation, with violent rhetoric becoming increasingly commonplace, observers worry that Uribe's attack could signal a disturbing resurgence of political violence reminiscent of earlier tumultuous periods in Colombian history. Calls for unity and a return to peace are echoing in the wake of this alarming act against a political candidate.
