The United States Government expressed its condolences on Monday for the death of Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, who passed away in the early hours of August 11 after being in intensive care for over two months following an armed attack in Bogotá in June.
PUBLICIDAD
“With deep sadness, we learned of the tragic death of Colombian senator @MiguelUribeT. The United States stands in solidarity with his family and the Colombian people, both in their mourning and in demanding justice for those responsible,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio through the social media platform X.
PUBLICIDAD
Pain and international condemnation for the assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay
Uribe Turbay, 37 years old and member of the Democratic Center party, was attacked on June 7th while participating in a political rally in a popular neighborhood of the capital. According to investigations, a 15-year-old hitman allegedly shot him three times, hitting him twice in the head and once in the left leg. The minor was arrested in the act along with five other suspects, while the Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a dissident group from the now-defunct FARC guerrilla as the possible mastermind behind the attack.
The lawmaker was urgently transferred to the Santa Fe Foundation of Bogotá, where he underwent multiple surgeries and remained in critical condition under strict medical care. In mid-July, medical reports indicated signs of improvement, allowing for the start of a neurorehabilitation process. However, this past Saturday his condition worsened severely due to a cerebral hemorrhage that required emergency interventions. Despite medical efforts, the senator passed away at 1:56 in the morning of this Monday.
The news was confirmed by his wife, María Claudia Tarazona, who bid farewell to him with a message on Instagram: “Thank you for a life full of love. Rest in peace, love of my life, I will take care of our children.” Uribe leaves behind a young son and three teenage daughters from his wife, whom he had embraced as his own.
The expressions of regret multiplied in the political and social sphere. The vice president Francia Márquez stated: “Today is a sad day for the country. Violence cannot continue to shape our destiny. Democracy is not built with bullets or blood, it is built with respect, with dialogue."
The assassination of Uribe Turbay, one of the right-wing favorites for the 2026 presidential elections, revives in Colombia memories of the political crimes that plagued the country in the 1980s and 1990s, when multiple national and regional leaders were assassinated under similar circumstances.
From the Democratic Center, the party to which he belonged, a posthumous tribute day was announced to highlight his career as a public servant, his strong stance in defense of security, and his commitment to the strengthening of democratic institutions.
Meanwhile, the statement from the United States adds to the multiple national and international voices demanding a thorough investigation to clarify the motives behind the crime and ensure that the perpetrators face justice.