Colombian Presidential Candidate Victim of Assassination Attempt at Rally

In a shocking act of violence, Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot several times during a campaign event in Bogota, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for prayer for his recovery.

Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was critically injured in a terrifying assassination attempt on Saturday evening when he was shot three times, including twice in the head, as he spoke to a small group of supporters in a local park. The 39-year-old politician, a member of the Centro Democratico party, was quickly transported to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as panic ensued following the gunfire, with many fleeing the scene in horror.

The assailant was apprehended by police shortly after the shooting, and the government, led by left-wing President Gustavo Petro, condemned the attack as an egregious assault not only on Uribe but on the very foundations of democracy in Colombia. Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, has publicly urged the nation to pray for her husband's survival, stating, "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him."

This incident underscores the rising concerns about political violence in Colombia, especially targeting those involved in public service. Uribe announced his candidacy for the presidential elections set to occur next year just last month. Hailing from a prominent political family, he is closely associated with the country's Liberal Party. His late mother, Diana Turbay, was a respected journalist who notably lost her life in 1991 during a kidnapping attempt by the infamous Medellin drug cartel, highlighting the deep-rooted complexities of violence in Colombian politics.