PRESIDENTIAL Candidate ATTACKED – Chaos Erupts

Person holding a gun in a crowded street

A shocking assassination attempt on Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay has brought the dangers of incendiary political rhetoric to the forefront as Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly blames “violent leftist rhetoric” from Colombia’s government for the brutal attack that left the conservative politician fighting for his life.

Key Takeaways

  • Conservative Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot twice in the head and once in the knee during a campaign rally in Bogotá, with a 15-year-old suspect arrested.
  • U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attack, explicitly blaming “violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government” while calling on President Gustavo Petro to “dial back the inflammatory rhetoric.”
  • The assassination attempt marks the first high-profile attack on a Colombian politician in decades, raising fears of a return to the country’s dark history of political violence.
  • Uribe Turbay, whose mother was killed by Pablo Escobar’s cartel, has undergone initial surgery but remains in critical condition in intensive care.
  • The attack has intensified political polarization in Colombia ahead of the May 2025 presidential election, with the government offering a $750,000 reward for information.

Violent Attack Caught on Camera as Conservative Candidate Shot Multiple Times

The attack on Miguel Uribe Turbay, a 39-year-old senator from the conservative Centro Democrático party, occurred during a campaign speech on Saturday in the Fontibón neighborhood of Bogotá. Graphic footage shows the moment gunmen opened fire, striking Uribe twice in the head and once in the knee before he was rushed to the Fundación Santa Fe clinic in critical condition. The suspected shooter, a 15-year-old, was apprehended shortly after fleeing the scene with authorities recovering a “9mm Glock-type firearm.”

Uribe Turbay, who announced his presidential run in October, comes from a prominent political family. His grandfather was a former president, and his mother was killed by the Medellin cartel. The shooting has sparked protests across Colombia as citizens express outrage over the brazen attempt to eliminate a presidential contender ahead of next May’s election.

Rubio Points to Leftist Rhetoric as Root Cause of Violence

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a forceful statement condemning the attack while explicitly connecting it to inflammatory rhetoric from Colombia’s current leadership. His response highlighted growing concerns about the dangerous impact of political language in increasingly polarized environments. Rubio’s statement directly challenged Colombian President Gustavo Petro to take responsibility for the political climate that enabled such violence.

“The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe. This is a direct threat to democracy and the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government. Having seen firsthand Colombia’s progress over the past few decades to consolidate security and democracy, it can’t afford to go back to dark days of political violence. President Petro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials,” said Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State.

Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno also condemned the attack, calling it a “vile attack on democracy” and demanding that “anyone responsible, directly or indirectly, must face swift punishment.” These statements reflect growing international concern about Colombia potentially sliding back into its violent past, where political assassinations were tragically common.

Fighting for His Life as Nation Prays

Uribe Turbay’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, has requested prayers as her husband battles for survival. After an initial surgery, Uribe remains in intensive care with his condition described as critical but stable. The shooting has united many Colombians in condemning political violence, though blame for creating the conditions that led to the attack remains a contentious issue.

“At this moment, Miguel is fighting for his life. We ask God to guide the hands of the doctors treating him,” said Maria Claudia Tarazona, Uribe’s wife.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro condemned the shooting and canceled a planned trip to France to deal with the crisis. The government has offered a nearly $750,000 reward for information on the assassination attempt. However, critics argue these actions are insufficient given what they perceive as the administration’s role in fostering a climate of political hostility.

A Dark Reminder of Colombia’s Violent Political Past

The attack on Uribe has drawn immediate comparisons to Colombia’s bloody political history, particularly the assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán in 1989. That killing, which occurred during the height of cartel violence, marked a dark chapter in Colombian democracy. Security experts now warn that this recent attack could signal a dangerous regression in the country’s political climate.

“Evidently this [attack] shows an erosion of Colombia’s security and political climate in the short term,” said Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis.

The Colombian government issued a statement saying: “Any act that seeks to silence through intimidation or violence those who participate in public life is unacceptable and deserves the deepest repudiation by the state and the citizenry.” However, critics argue that such condemnations ring hollow when not accompanied by substantive changes in political discourse from the nation’s leadership.

Growing Calls for Protection and Responsible Discourse

As Uribe fights for his life, the attempted assassination has prompted urgent calls for increased security for all presidential candidates. Political analysts warn that without meaningful intervention, Colombia risks spiraling into a dangerous cycle of political violence that could undermine its democratic institutions. The incident serves as a stark reminder that inflammatory rhetoric can have deadly consequences when it inspires extremist actions.

“Whoever ordered this assassination… very clearly had the intention of throwing gas onto a fire, trying to be incendiary in an electoral context that is already deeply polarized,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for Colombia at the International Crisis Group.

With the presidential election scheduled for May 2025, Colombia now faces a critical test of its democratic resilience. The international community is watching closely to see whether this shocking act of violence will prompt a return to more responsible political discourse or further inflame the dangerous polarization that threatens to undermine the nation’s hard-won democratic progress.

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