Colombia presidential candidate shot in the head at campaign rally

Colombian presidential candidate and senator Miguel Uribe Turbay is in critical condition after being shot during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday.

The 39-year-old was reportedly struck three times — including twice in the head — while addressing supporters in a park.

Authorities have arrested a 15-year-old suspect at the scene.

The youth was reportedly injured in the leg during a pursuit by police and was found carrying a “Glock-type 9mm firearm,” according to a statement from the attorney general’s office. An investigation is currently underway.

Uribe was rushed to a hospital by airlift and underwent emergency surgery. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said he remains in a critical recovery phase.

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Supporters have gathered outside the hospital to hold vigils and pray for his recovery.

Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, called on the nation for prayers.

“Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him,” she said.

The attack has sparked national and international condemnation. Uribe’s party, the right-leaning Centro Democrático, described the shooting as an assault on democracy and freedom.

Footage circulating online shows the moment the senator was shot mid-speech, causing chaos as attendees fled the scene.

President Gustavo Petro strongly denounced the attack, calling it a “day of pain” for Colombia.

In a national address, he urged unity and support for Uribe’s recovery.

“There are political differences, yes, but they must remain political. Today, all of us should focus on saving his life,” he said.

Colombian Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a reward of 3 billion pesos (approximately $730,000) for information about those behind the attack.

International reactions included a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who condemned the shooting and labeled it a “direct threat to democracy.”

He controversially linked the incident to “violent leftist rhetoric” from the Colombian government, though he did not provide specific evidence.

Uribe, a prominent critic of President Petro, recently declared his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election.

A sitting senator since 2022, Uribe hails from a well-known political family.

His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in a 1991 rescue attempt following a kidnapping by Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel.

As the nation awaits further updates on Uribe’s condition, the attack has reignited concerns about political violence in Colombia.