Miguel Uribe Turbay, a 39-year-old Colombian senator and prominent right-wing presidential candidate, has died more than two months after being critically wounded in a shooting at a campaign rally in Bogotá on June 7, 2025. His wife, María Claudia Tarazona, announced his death on August 11, 2025.
Uribe Turbay was shot three times, including twice in the head, during a political event at El Golfito Park in the Modelia neighborhood of Bogotá. After the attack, a gunfight ensued between his bodyguards and the assailant, who was soon apprehended. The suspected shooter, a 14-year-old believed to be a hired gunman, was arrested at the scene.
Following the shooting, Uribe Turbay underwent emergency brain surgery at the Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá and remained in critical condition with ongoing complications from brain hemorrhages. Despite some signs of neurological improvement, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
A member of the conservative Democratic Centre party, Uribe Turbay was considered a key contender for the 2026 Colombian presidential election and came from a notable political family, being the grandson of former president Julio César Turbay Ayala. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was tragically killed during a kidnapping attempt by the Medellín Cartel in 1991.
The assassination attempt and eventual death of Uribe Turbay have heightened concerns about political violence in Colombia as the nation prepares for upcoming elections. The government and international leaders condemned the attack, calling for increased security for politicians and a thorough judicial response.
