Miguel Uribe Turbay, a candidate from the Centro Democratico party, was shot multiple times while addressing supporters in Bogota, sparking national outrage and fear for democratic integrity.
**Colombian Presidential Candidate Targeted in Alarming Shooting Incident**
**Colombian Presidential Candidate Targeted in Alarming Shooting Incident**
A tragic act of violence has left a presidential hopeful in critical condition, raising concerns for the safety of political figures in Colombia.
In a shocking event that rattled the political landscape of Colombia, presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot while speaking at a campaign rally in Bogota. The 39-year-old politician was reportedly hit three times, with two of those bullets striking his head. The incident occurred on Saturday night, as he engaged with a small crowd in a local park.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos as the gunman opened fire, leading attendees to flee in terror. Police swiftly apprehended a suspect at the scene, although no further details about the assailant have been disclosed. Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, took to social media to plead for prayers, stating, "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him.”
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from Uribe's party, Centro Democratico, which emphasized the threat to democratic values posed by such violence against political figures. "This attack endangers the life of a political leader... democracy and freedom in Colombia,” the party stated in a released statement.
President Gustavo Petro's administration also spoke out against the shooting, condemning it as a severe act of aggression targeting not just Uribe but the principles of democracy itself. Miguel Uribe Turbay, whose political lineage includes connections to the Liberal Party, announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election just last month. This incident comes against the backdrop of Colombia's fraught history with political violence, echoing the tragic past faced by Uribe's family; his mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist murdered in 1991 after being kidnapped by the notorious Medellin drug cartel led by Pablo Escobar.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos as the gunman opened fire, leading attendees to flee in terror. Police swiftly apprehended a suspect at the scene, although no further details about the assailant have been disclosed. Uribe's wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, took to social media to plead for prayers, stating, "Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him.”
The attack has drawn widespread condemnation from Uribe's party, Centro Democratico, which emphasized the threat to democratic values posed by such violence against political figures. "This attack endangers the life of a political leader... democracy and freedom in Colombia,” the party stated in a released statement.
President Gustavo Petro's administration also spoke out against the shooting, condemning it as a severe act of aggression targeting not just Uribe but the principles of democracy itself. Miguel Uribe Turbay, whose political lineage includes connections to the Liberal Party, announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election just last month. This incident comes against the backdrop of Colombia's fraught history with political violence, echoing the tragic past faced by Uribe's family; his mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist murdered in 1991 after being kidnapped by the notorious Medellin drug cartel led by Pablo Escobar.
