A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to seven years in juvenile detention for shooting Miguel Uribe Turbay, a Colombian presidential hopeful, at a rally in Bogotá in June. The conservative senator, who was 39 years old, underwent multiple surgeries after being hit by three bullets but unfortunately passed away on August 11th.
The teenager was charged with attempted murder and the unlawful possession of firearms. The shooting has sent shockwaves through Colombia, a nation still haunted by the political violence of the 1980s and 90s when many presidential candidates and influential figures were assassinated.
Uribe was shot in the head during a campaign rally on June 7th, and unverified video of the incident has widely circulated online. Following his arrest, the teenager reportedly cried out, “I did it for money for my family.” Uribe, a popular member of the right-wing Democratic Centre party, was vying for his party’s nomination in the 2026 presidential election.
In an effort to keep his son’s legacy alive, Miguel Uribe Londoño, Uribe’s father, recently announced his own presidential campaign. Uribe Londoño served as a member of Bogotá’s city council in the late 80s and as a senator for Colombia’s Conservative Party in the early 90s.
During that time period, several presidential candidates and influential Colombian figures, including Uribe’s own mother, journalist Diana Turbay, were murdered. Diana Turbay was kidnapped by Los Extraditables, an alliance formed by leading drug lords, in 1990. She was held hostage for five months before being shot and killed during a botched rescue attempt.
Uribe often cited his mother as his inspiration to enter politics and work for the betterment of the country.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c707l5vvn8go?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
