Colombian Senator and presidential aspirant Miguel Uribe, who was shot in the head at a campaign event two months ago, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 39, as confirmed by the hospital. Uribe, a member of a prominent political family and a right-wing opposition lawmaker, was shot on June 7 in Bogota while campaigning for his party’s nomination for the 2026 elections.
His death was announced on social media by his wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona. “I pray to God to show me the way to learn to live without you,” she wrote. “Rest in peace, love of my life, I will take care of our children.”
The attack was the most severe instance of political violence in approximately two decades, reviving memories of the tumultuous 1980s and 1990s, when four presidential candidates were assassinated in attacks blamed on drug cartels. President Gustavo Petro commented on X, stating, “The investigation should be deepened. The appropriate authorities, with the help of international experts, will provide information when the time comes.” He added, “Every time a Colombian is murdered, it is a defeat for Colombia and for life.”
The Santa Fe Foundation hospital in the capital, where Uribe was being treated and had undergone multiple operations, reported over the weekend that his condition had deteriorated due to a hemorrhage in his central nervous system. On Monday, the hospital announced his death at 1:56 am (0656 GMT).
Former President Alvaro Uribe, the leader of the senator’s Democratic Center party (and no relation), wrote on X that “evil destroys everything; they killed hope.” The former president, who was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest by a judge earlier this month for abuse of process and bribery, added, “May Miguel’s fight be a light that illuminates Colombia’s right path.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his sorrow on X, writing, “The United States stands in solidarity with his family, the Colombian people, both in mourning and demanding justice for those responsible.”
Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the shooting, including two men the attorney general’s office alleges met in Medellin to plan the assassination. A 15-year-old accused of being the gunman was arrested within hours of the crime. However, police have stated they are still searching for the “intellectual authors” of the attack. In a video of the boy’s June arrest, independently verified by Reuters, he can be heard shouting that a local drug dealer had hired him.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged on Monday to capture those responsible, writing on X, “We will not allow the violent to intimidate or silence political voices needed in our democracy.” His ministry has offered a reward of 3 billion pesos (about $740,000) for information leading to the identification and capture of the culprits and noted that the United States, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates are assisting in the investigation.
The death of Senator Uribe, a father and stepfather, adds another layer of tragedy to his family’s difficult history. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a failed rescue mission after being kidnapped by the Medellin Cartel, led by drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Uribe himself had a rapid political ascent as a lawmaker for the right-wing Democratic Center party and a presidential hopeful known for his sharp criticism of leftist President Gustavo Petro’s administration. In social media videos posted on the day of the shooting, Uribe had called for respect for the separation of powers and had rejected a referendum proposed by Petro on a labor reform bill. He had also criticized the president’s restrictions on the oil industry, promising a plan to attract investment and provide legal security to companies.
At the age of 25, he was elected to the Bogota city council, where he was a prominent opponent of Petro, who was then the city’s mayor. In the 2022 legislative elections, Uribe topped the Senate slate for the Democratic Center party. Since the shooting, Uribe’s seat in the Senate has been draped with a Colombian flag.
Besides his wife, son, and stepdaughters, Uribe is also survived by his father and sister.
