Possible Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe was seriously wounded in an attempt on his life on 7 June during a campaign event in Bogotá. Uribe was wounded in the head and leg.
He was rushed to hospital and remains in intensive care. Uribe’s wife reported that he is “fighting for life.”
Two other people were injured.
The attacker, according to police, turned out to be a 15-year-old teenager and has been detained.
Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez said authorities would deploy all the resources of the army, police and intelligence agencies to investigate. A reward of about $725,000 has been announced for information on who ordered the attack.
The assassination attempt caused a wide resonance. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it” a direct threat to democracy”, saying the attack was “the result of violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government”.
“President Petro needs to reduce the provocative rhetoric and protect Colombian officials,” Rubio said, referring to Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Uribe, a political critic of Petro, is a member of the Democratic Centre Party, which announced last October its intention to run for president.
Authorities said there were no specific threats against the politician before the incident. Like many public figures in Colombia, Uribe had a personal security guard.
Miguel Uribe, a senator from the right-wing Democratic Centre party, is the son of journalist Diana Turbay, who died after being kidnapped by drug cartel Pablo Escobar in the 1990s, and the grandson of former Colombian President Julio César Turbay.
Colombia’s presidential election will be held in 2026.