Colombian Presidential Candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay Dies After Sustaining Gunshot Wounds
Colombian presidential pre-candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay succumbed to injuries sustained in a shooting incident during a campaign rally in Bogotá, passing away after two months of hospitalization, reports 24brussels.
Attorney General Luz Camargo emphasized her dedication to investigating Uribe Turbay’s assassination, classifying the incident as magnicide due to the victim’s political significance. Camargo announced intentions to pursue aggravated homicide charges against the defendant suspects, stating, “The perpetrator and those who took part in preparing and planning the magnicide are already facing justice,” while investigations into the intellectual authors of the plot continue.
Investigative efforts have leaned towards the Segunda Marquetalia guerrilla group, a dissident faction of the former FARC, as the likely perpetrators of the attack. Six arrests have been made, including a 15-year-old gunman identified at the crime scene and Elder Arteaga, alias “El Costeño,” who is believed to be the mastermind behind the assault.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the attack, stating, “Our institutions will continue working tirelessly to identify and bring to justice all those responsible for this attack.” He underlined the importance of political expression in a democratic society, affirming that violent actors will not stifle those voices. Simultaneously, Vice President Francia Marquez called for national unity, suggesting that “Democracy is not built with bullets or blood, it is built with respect, dialogue and recognition of our differences.”
Responding to the tragedy, Attorney General Gregorio Eljach described the killing as “reprehensible” and underscored the urgency to resolve the case to preserve Colombia’s democracy. He urged the public to prioritize dialogue and reconciliation over hostility and division.
Uribe Turbay, aligned with the right-wing Democratic Center party, suffered severe injuries—including two gunshot wounds to the head—during the political rally. Despite 64 days of intensive care at Fundacion Santa Fe, he passed away early Monday morning due to complications stemming from bleeding in his central nervous system.
