Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe in Extremely Critical Condition Following Assassination Attempt

 Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe remains in extremely critical condition following emergency brain surgery on Monday, the Santa Fe Foundation hospital in Bogotá confirmed. Uribe, 39, was shot in the head during a campaign rally on June 7 in the capital, as Colombia enters the early stages of its 2026 presidential election cycle.

Uribe, a prominent member of the right-wing Democratic Center party and considered a potential presidential contender, has undergone three surgeries since the attack. The most recent procedure, lasting more than six hours, was performed to address persistent cerebral edema and uncontrollable intracranial bleeding. Hospital officials described his condition as “of maximum seriousness.”

“Patient Miguel Uribe Turbay is out of surgery and his condition is extremely critical,” the hospital stated, noting ongoing challenges with brain swelling and bleeding.

Speaking outside the hospital, Uribe’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, made an emotional plea to the public: “I appeal to all Colombians, to the love they feel for Miguel, our family, and our country, to join in a mass prayer. Today is crucial.”

The brazen shooting, captured on video and verified by Reuters, evoked dark memories of Colombia’s past, when political violence and assassinations were common during the turbulent decades of the 1980s and 1990s. The country was then marred by conflict involving guerrilla groups, paramilitaries, drug cartels, and state forces.

In the wake of the attack, nationwide marches and vigils have been held calling for peace and praying for Uribe’s recovery.

Authorities have taken three suspects into custody, including a 15-year-old who allegedly carried out the shooting. In the video footage, the teenager is heard claiming he was hired by a local drug trafficker. Two adults—a man and a woman—are also under investigation. Prosecutors identified the man as Carlos Eduardo Mora and charged him with planning the attack, supplying the weapon, and assisting the shooter’s escape.

Although officials initially suggested possible links to armed groups, the main dissident faction of the former FARC guerrillas denied involvement in Uribe’s attempted assassination, while admitting responsibility for a separate series of bombings.

Senator Uribe hails from a distinguished political lineage. His grandfather, Julio César Turbay, served as President of Colombia from 1978 to 1982. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was tragically killed in 1991 during a failed rescue mission after being kidnapped by a group led by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar.

The senator is affiliated with the Democratic Center party, founded by former President Álvaro Uribe. Despite sharing the same surname, the two are not related. As the country’s political landscape shifts ahead of the 2026 election, Miguel Uribe’s name had emerged among those positioning themselves to challenge the incumbent leftist government led by President Gustavo Petro, whose peace initiatives have seen limited success to date.