Colombian Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay Dies From Assassin’s Wounds Two Months After
Colombia is in mourning following the death of Senator and presidential aspirant Miguel Uribe Turbay, who succumbed to severe complications from gunshot wounds sustained during an assassination attempt two months ago.
The 39-year-old politician died at 1:56 a.m. at the Santa Fe Foundation hospital, where he had been receiving intensive treatment since the attack. Doctors confirmed he passed away from a massive hemorrhage in his central nervous system.
The tragedy dates back to June 7, when Uribe was shot twice in the head and once in the leg while addressing supporters in the Fontibón area of Bogotá, as part of his campaign for the 2026 presidential elections.
He was rushed to hospital in critical condition and underwent several surgeries, showing brief signs of recovery before his health sharply declined in early August. Despite medical efforts, the internal bleeding proved fatal.
Authorities have arrested six people in connection with the attack, including a 15-year-old boy alleged to have carried out the shooting and Elder José Arteaga Hernández, alias “El Costeño,” accused of coordinating the operation. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the masterminds and motives behind the killing.
Uribe’s death has sent shockwaves across Colombia’s political landscape. His family history is deeply entwined with the country’s turbulent past—his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during a failed rescue from the Medellín Cartel, and his grandfather, Julio César Turbay Ayala, served as president from 1978 to 1982.
President Gustavo Petro condemned the killing, calling it “a defeat for Colombia and for life,” while Bogotá’s city government declared three days of mourning. Lawmakers and citizens gathered at the Congress for an emotional funeral ceremony, where Uribe was remembered as a committed public servant with a vision for a safer, more united Colombia.
International tributes poured in from leaders including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, both urging a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
The assassination has revived painful memories of the political violence that plagued Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s, and it has cast uncertainty over the country’s 2026 presidential race, with many questioning the safety of candidates and the stability of the democratic process.
