The Colombian flag flew at half-staff over the nation’s Congress building Monday following the death of presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay. The 39-year-old senator and political figure died early in this morning at Fundación Santa Fe hospital in Bogotá, where he had been hospitalized for two months after being shot during a campaign rally.
Hospital officials said Uribe Turbay died at 1:56 a.m. local time from injuries sustained in the June 7th attack. “The Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá regrets to inform that Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay passed away at 1:56 a.m. today,” said Adolfo Llinás, the hospital’s medical director, in a statement and press briefing.
“Our team worked tirelessly over the past two months to care for him. Despite all efforts, this is a sad outcome, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Uribe Turbay family.”
Uribe Turbay was campaigning in Bogotá’s Modelia neighborhood when a 15-year-old boy allegedly opened fire, striking him twice in the head. The local police apprehended the suspect at the scene, after shooting him in the leg to prevent his escape.
The teen has pleaded not guilty to attempted homicide and illegal possession of a firearm. The authorities said, that the gun was provided by Katerine Andrea Martínez, known as “Gabriela,” who is also in custody. Investigators have also identified Elder José Arteaga Hernández, alias “El Costeño,” as the suspected mastermind behind the attack.
During his hospitalization, Uribe Turbay underwent multiple surgeries and remained in intensive care. His condition worsened last Saturday after doctors reported a central nervous system hemorrhage, prompting emergency neurosurgery. At that time, the hospital described his status as “critical” with a “private” prognosis.
The politician's supporters maintained hope for his recovery, setting up an altar outside the hospital and holding a silent march in Medellín on June 15th, calling for peace, justice, and his return to public life.
Politics in the Family
Uribe Turbay was a member of the Centro Democrático party and came from a prominent political family.
His grandfather, Julio César Turbay, served as Colombia’s president from 1978 to 1982. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was killed in 1991 during a kidnapping by Los Extraditables, a Medellín Cartel-linked group led by Pablo Escobar.
The painful goodbye from his wife
Following his death, Uribe Turbay’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, shared an emotional tribute on social media, where she had kept followers updated on his condition.
Alongside a smiling photo of the couple, she wrote, “You will always be the love of my life. Thank you for a life full of love, thank you for being a father to the girls, the best father to Alejandro. I ask God to show me the way to live without you.”
“Our love transcends this physical plane,” she continued. “Wait for me, when I fulfill my promise to our children, I will come find you, and we’ll have our second chance. Rest in peace, love of my life. I will take care of our children.”
The couple met in 2011 through a mutual friend, married in Bogotá in 2016, and built a blended family with María Claudia’s three daughters before welcoming their son, Alejandro, in 2020.
Just days before his death, on the two-month mark of the attack, María Claudia posted: “Two months have passed. Thank you, God, help me more. My sweet love, I miss you so much it tears my soul apart. Come back to me, please allow it, God 🙏.”