Miguel Uribe Turbay was standing there during a campaign rally on June 7, 2025, in Bogotá’s Fontibón neighborhood—El Golfito Park, to be exact—when everything went sideways.
Out of nowhere, he was shot from behind—three times, they say: twice in the head and once in the leg. Shot while speaking, no less.
The crowds went wild, folks rushed in to help, and the shooter was caught right on the spot, wounded in the foot. Talk about chaos. And just like that, a political rally turned into a dove-grey nightmare.
But he passed away two months later, on August 11, 2025. A sad end to a life that held so much promise.
Who Shot Miguel Uribe?
Here’s something straight out of a thriller: the suspected shooter was just a teenager—about 14 or 15 years old. He was arrested immediately.
He later told investigators, “I did it for money, for my family.” Harsh, right? But turns out he wasn’t a lone wolf.
Investigators believe at least four to six people were involved—there were lookout squads on motorcycles, a getaway car, logistics behind the scenes.
They nabbed a guy alleged to be the mastermind too. It's chilling to think how orchestrated it all was.
In July, Colombian police said they had arrested five suspects in the case.
The police also arrested Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez, who they believe was the main planner of the attack on Uribe.
Police chief Carlos Fernando Triana Beltran said Arteaga Hernandez planned "the events before, during and after the attack."
Career History: From Council to Campaign Trail
Miguel was no newcomer to politics. He started as a Bogotá City Councilor back in his 20s—and he was just 26 when he ran for that seat.
Pretty young, huh? By 2014, he became president of the council. Then came a gig as secretary of government under Mayor Enrique Peñalosa from 2016 to 2018.
He even tried for mayor in 2019 but came in fourth. Not the finish line he wanted, but not a flop either.
Then in 2022, he jumped onto the national stage as a senator—and the most-voted senator for his party, the Democratic Centre.
Now he was gearing up for the 2026 presidential race, critical of the current administration and pushing for stronger security.
Family Ties: A History Shrouded in Violence
Oh, the family story still haunts. Miguel’s grandfather was none other than Julio César Turbay Ayala, who’d served as President of Colombia from 1978 to 1982.
Big shoes to fill. But his mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist—and she was tragically kidnapped by Pablo Escobar’s cartel back in 1990, killed during a botched rescue in 1991.
Miguel lost his mom when he was just a kid. That pain shaped him: he often said he chose forgiveness over vengeance, and that her death motivated his political path.
Aftermath and the Fall of a Hope
Miguel survived the initial attack—barely. He was rushed into emergency surgery, and the medical team did all they could.
But two months later, on August 11, 2025, he passed away. A tragic end to a life that had so much promise.
At 39, he left behind a grieving family and a country that felt the blow as if it were its own heart. Political violence isn’t just history—it’s alive, and it hurts.
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