Colombia is mourning the death of conservative senator and 2026 presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay, who died on Monday, more than two months after sustaining critical injuries in a shooting during a campaign rally in western Bogotá. He was 39.
Uribe Turbay’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, confirmed the news in an emotional statement posted on Instagram in the early hours of Monday.
“You’ll always be the love of my life,” she wrote. “Thank you for a life filled with love, thank you for being a father to the girls, the best dad to Alejandro.”
The tragic incident occurred on June 7, when Uribe Turbay was addressing supporters in Colombia’s capital. He was shot in the head and leg and rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Despite doctors’ efforts, he remained in intensive care until his passing.
Authorities arrested a teenage suspect at the scene of the shooting and have since detained several others in connection with the attack. In July, police apprehended the alleged mastermind, Elder José Arteaga Hernández, also known by the aliases “Chipi” and “Costeño.”
While the exact motive behind the assassination attempt remains under investigation, the killing has sparked renewed concerns over political violence in Colombia; a country with a turbulent history of attacks on public figures.
In October, Uribe Turbay had formally declared his intention to run in Colombia’s 2026 presidential election. From his Senate seat, he emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Gustavo Petro, often challenging the administration’s policies.
His political career was deeply intertwined with Colombia’s complex history. Uribe Turbay was the son of a journalist who was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the country’s most violent periods, marked by drug cartel dominance and guerrilla warfare.
The shooting drew widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally. Shortly after the attack in June, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio released a statement condemning what he called an “attempted assassination” and labeling it “a direct threat to democracy.” He further accused “violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government” of fueling political hostility.
Violence Against Politicians in Colombia
Uribe Turbay’s death adds to a long and troubling history of political assassinations in Colombia. During the height of cartel violence and armed insurgencies in the late 20th century, politicians, journalists, and activists were frequent targets of murder and kidnappings.
While the country has made significant strides in improving security in recent decades, recent incidents including the June attack have reignited fears that political violence could again escalate.
As the investigation continues, Colombians are left grappling with the loss of a rising political figure whose ambitions were cut short. Uribe Turbay leaves behind his wife and children, along with a legacy of determined political engagement and vocal advocacy in the Senate.
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