Miguel Uribe Turbay shot during Bogotá rally: Colombia confronts new wave of political violence

Colombian presidential candidate and Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot in the head and back while addressing supporters during a campaign rally in the Fontibón district of Bogotá on Saturday afternoon. Authorities confirmed that the 39-year-old remains in critical condition following emergency neurosurgery, while a 15-year-old suspect has been arrested at the scene. The incident marks one of the most severe attacks on a public figure in Colombia’s democratic history since the 1990s.

What happened during the attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay in Bogotá?

According to Colombian national police and Bogotá’s city authorities, the shooting occurred shortly after 5:00 p.m. local time in the Modelia neighborhood of Fontibón. Uribe Turbay was giving a speech as part of his 2026 presidential campaign when multiple gunshots rang out from behind the stage. Witnesses reported panic among the crowd as the senator collapsed.

The suspect, identified by law enforcement as a 15-year-old male named Juan Sebastián Rodríguez Casallas, was detained on the spot by Uribe’s security detail and municipal police officers. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán confirmed the arrest, stating that the minor had a firearm in his possession and was subdued after being shot in the leg by responding security personnel. Two other people were reported injured in the melee but are in stable condition.

Uribe Turbay was rushed to Engativá Medical Center before being transferred to Fundación Santa Fe Hospital for neurosurgical intervention. Medical authorities said the senator suffered gunshot wounds to the head and back and remains in a medically induced coma.

What is Miguel Uribe Turbay’s political background and public profile?

Miguel Uribe Turbay is a senator with the Democratic Centre party and a prominent opposition figure to the current left-leaning government of President Gustavo Petro. A lawyer by training and graduate of Harvard University, he previously served as Bogotá’s Secretary of Government and launched his presidential campaign in March 2025 on a platform focused on public security, economic liberalization, and combating organized crime.

He is the grandson of former Colombian President Julio César Turbay Ayala, who led the country from 1978 to 1982, and the son of journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed in a kidnapping orchestrated by the Medellín cartel in 1991. This legacy has given Uribe symbolic weight among conservative and centrist voters, many of whom associate his campaign with a call for order and institutional strength.

How are Colombian leaders and agencies responding to the shooting?

President Gustavo Petro condemned the shooting, calling it “a brutal attack against the democratic fabric of Colombia,” and postponed a scheduled trip to France to personally oversee the investigation. In a public address from the Casa de Nariño presidential palace, Petro emphasized the need for national unity and ordered the deployment of additional intelligence resources to secure political candidates ahead of the 2026 election season.

Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez announced a reward of 3 billion Colombian pesos (approx. USD 730,000) for information leading to any accomplices involved in planning the attack. The Attorney General’s Office has opened a formal investigation, while the National Protection Unit has been directed to reassess candidate security protocols.

Why has the incident triggered concerns about political violence in Colombia?

Saturday’s shooting has shocked the public and political observers, with many drawing parallels to Colombia’s dark history of assassinations. The killing of Luis Carlos Galán in 1989 during his presidential campaign remains one of the most painful reminders of how electoral politics in Colombia has often been marked by violence. Similarly, Diana Turbay’s death in 1991 added to the trauma experienced by Uribe’s family.

Though the 2016 peace accords between the Colombian government and the FARC rebel group reduced the overall scale of armed conflict, political violence has persisted. Multiple mayoral and gubernatorial candidates were targeted in 2023 regional elections, and analysts have raised alarms about rising intolerance and radicalization in public discourse.

What do we know about the shooter and the investigation so far?

The suspect, Juan Sebastián Rodríguez Casallas, is currently in custody and receiving treatment for a leg wound sustained during the arrest. Law enforcement officials stated that the minor had no known prior record but may have been influenced or coerced by external actors. The motive remains unclear, but authorities have not ruled out political intent or gang-related infiltration.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is working with juvenile justice authorities and counterterrorism units to determine whether the act was orchestrated or spontaneous. Forensic analysis of the weapon and surveillance footage from the rally site is underway.

Bogotá’s security chief emphasized that hospitals across the capital remain on high alert, while urban surveillance drones and AI-driven monitoring systems are being deployed to prevent further incidents.

How are political allies and opponents reacting?

Former President Iván Duque and several opposition senators have expressed outrage, blaming what they described as “incendiary rhetoric from the left” for escalating tensions. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio weighed in on social media, accusing radical factions within the Colombian political system of undermining free speech and electoral stability.

Conversely, progressive leaders such as Senator María José Pizarro—whose father was assassinated in 1990 while running for president—called for a bipartisan ceasefire in inflammatory speech and urged all parties to reassert democratic values over political gain.

The Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) of Colombia issued a statement urging the government to immediately implement heightened protections for all presidential hopefuls and to ensure the transparency and safety of the 2026 electoral process.

What are the broader implications for Colombia’s 2026 elections?

With Miguel Uribe Turbay in critical condition, his political campaign is temporarily suspended. His running mate and campaign manager have asked for public prayers and called for restraint while investigations proceed. The attack has already altered the tone of national debate, with rival campaigns suspending weekend events and demanding emergency security briefings.

Observers warn that if political leaders do not unify behind a shared security framework, Colombia risks entering another cycle of electoral instability. The National Registrar’s Office has scheduled a meeting with all registered parties to coordinate campaign security protocols.

International election monitors from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations are being mobilized to assess potential security risks as Colombia approaches the formal campaign window in early 2026.

Will this incident reshape Colombia’s approach to political speech and public safety?

Many political scientists suggest that the shooting of Uribe Turbay may mark a turning point in Colombia’s democratic discourse. From public school programs to national broadcast regulations, several legislative proposals aimed at reducing political extremism and enhancing civic education have been reintroduced in Congress. The Ministry of the Interior is expected to propose updated norms around candidate safety within two weeks.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International’s Colombia chapter, emphasized the urgent need to separate electoral activity from violent conflict—a line that has historically been blurred in Colombian politics.

As the nation awaits updates on Uribe’s condition, the focus remains on protecting Colombia’s fragile electoral stability. Whether this moment catalyzes national healing or deepens divisions will depend on the actions taken in the days ahead.