Colombian presidential candidate undergoes emergency brain surgery following shooting

Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald on Jun 16, 2025

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Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, 39, underwent another emergency neurosurgery Monday after suffering acute intracerebral bleeding, according to the Santa Fe Foundation, the hospital in Bogotá where he has been hospitalized since being shot in the head during a political event earlier this month.

The hospital said the decision to operate was made “based on clinical and imaging evidence of intracerebral bleeding,” which required immediate intervention.

Uribe Turbay had remained hospitalized under critical condition after being shot twice in the head and once in the leg while addressing supporters in Bogotá’s Modelia neighborhood on June 7. He has undergone multiple surgeries.

The attack has stunned Colombia and sparked a wave of solidarity. On Sunday, thousands marched in silence in Bogotá and more than 20 other cities to protest political violence and express hope for Uribe’s recovery.

Authorities have arrested three individuals in connection with the shooting, including the alleged gunman — a 15-year-old boy found with the Glock pistol used in the attack — and two adults: Carlos Eduardo Mora González, detained in Bogotá, and Katerine Andrea Martínez, arrested in the southern city of Florencia.

Uribe Turbay, a senator from the right-wing Democratic Center party, had formally launched his presidential campaign in March, focusing on security, economic growth, and foreign investment. While not considered a front-runner, he was a prominent voice of opposition to the leftist administration of President Gustavo Petro.

The shooting has evoked memories of Colombia’s violent political past, including the 1990 assassinations of presidential candidates Luis Carlos Galán, Bernardo Jaramillo, and Carlos Pizarro. With the 2026 election approaching, the attack has heightened fears that political violence may once again be used to undermine Colombia’s fragile democracy.