File:Miguel_Uribe_Turbay Yoyrcenar15, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay passed away early today, August 11, 2025, at the age of 39, after spending more than two months in intensive care following a violent attack in Bogotá, Colombia.
The attack and its outcome
On June 7, during a campaign rally in El Golfito Park, in the Modelia neighborhood of Fontibón, Bogotá, a 14-year-old boy shot him in the head and leg. He was initially taken to Medicentro and then to the Fundación Santa Fe clinic, where he was hospitalized in critical condition.
He underwent multiple surgeries, including an emergency procedure on June 16 for an intracerebral hemorrhage. His condition improved temporarily, then worsened in the days leading up to his death.
In the early hours of August 11, the Santa Fe Foundation announced his death, which occurred around 1:56 a.m. (local time).
Miguel Uribe's career
Miguel Uribe Turbay (born January 28, 1986 in Bogotá) came from a family with notable political ties: he was the grandson of former President Julio César Turbay Ayala, and his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was a victim of drug trafficking in 1991.
He held positions as a Bogotá councilor (2012–2015), Secretary of Government of that city (2016–2018), and was elected senator in 2022, belonging to the Democratic Center party. He was emerging as a presidential candidate for 2026.
Political reactions
The death of Uribe Turbay sparked widespread condemnation of political violence. Many voices expressed their grief: President Gustavo Petro, Vice President Francia Márquez, former presidents such as Álvaro Uribe, Iván Duque, and Juan Manuel Santos, as well as Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán, other regional leaders, and international authorities.
His wife, María Claudia Tarazona, expressed her grief on social media: “Rest in peace, love of my life… I will take care of our children.”
Farewell to Congress and service to the people
The family requested that Senator Uribe Turbay's coffin be placed in state in the Elliptical Hall of the Congress of the Republic, an open tribute where the public can express their farewell. According to Senate President Lidio García, it was his sister who made the formal request, and the doors are open "with the greatest affection and willingness" to welcome those who wish to attend this final tribute.
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