Colombia presidential candidate was shot several times, life and death are uncertain

Asia Pacific Daily Ai Ren

According to the Washington Post, a presidential candidate was shot several times in a campaign event on Saturday local time in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, and is currently in serious injuries. The shooting caused a shock in Colombia and the world. Local media said police arrested a 15-year-old suspect at the scene.

At around 5 p.m. Saturday, 39-year-old Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was attacked while giving a speech to a small group of people in the park, he was one of the presidential candidates for the right-wing party Democratic Center.

The mobile phone video shared online shows that the bullet seemed to hit Uribe in the head.

According to AFP, medical staff confirmed that Uribe was shot in the knee and twice in the head. The hospital is still being treated, but the situation is still unclear.

Uribe's wife Maria Claudia Tarasona posted on social media X that her husband was "fighting with death" and called on the people of the whole country to pray for him.

Columbia Police Chief General Carlos Triana said a 15-year-old shooting suspect has been arrested and has suffered a leg injury and is currently undergoing treatment. Authorities are also verifying whether other people are involved.

The government led by left-wing President Petro condemned the attack "resolutely and strongly", saying it was not only a violent act against Uribe himself, but also a violent act against democracy."

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio also condemned the shooting as a "direct threat to democracy." He also called on the President of Colombia to "stop inflammatory speech and protect Colombian officials."

It is reported that Uribe was born into a prominent political family in Colombia. Her father was a trade union leader and businessman and her mother was a journalist. She was kidnapped by a drug trafficking group and died in a rescue operation.

Just hours before he was shot, Uribe also told about his mother's murder in an open event, saying that the experience deeply affected his life and inspired him to work hard to end violence in Colombia.

Colombia will hold a presidential election on May 31, 2026, and Uribe announced his election in March this year.

The Colombian government reached a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2016, ending the armed conflict that lasted for more than half a century in the country. However, the country still faces widespread armed violence, especially in rural areas.

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