Miguel Uribe, then a prominent Colombian senator and overall leader of the Democratic Center party, was attacked while speaking at an outdoor political rally in downtown Bogotá on June 7, 2025. Sadly, he later died from those injuries. He died on August 11, 2025—over two months after the assault. Uribe’s death not only marks a tragic personal loss but signals a disturbing return to the violent political climate that has plagued Colombia’s history.
Uribe in the Colombian Senate since 2022, representing the Democratic Center party. He became a serious contender for the mayorship of Bogotá. His political career comprised acting as a city councilor and Secretary of Government. As the grandson of former president Julio César Turbay Ayala, Uribe has a heavy legacy to shoulder. His life has been inextricably intertwined with Colombia’s political violence and conflict, particularly after losing his mother, journalist Diana Turbay, who was brutally killed by Medellín Cartel drug traffickers in 1991.
In the months leading up to his death, Uribe was surging hard as a presidential pre-candidate. He was preparing for the 2026 elections. A July survey by Guarumo-Econoanalítica found him leading in forced choice presidential voting intentions. This places him in a powerful position to influence the direction of the country’s politics. He made it official when he announced in October 2024 that he planned to run for the 2026 elections.
Unfortunately, Gustavo’s dreams were severed by the same violence that has long loomed over Colombian politics. Our initial investigation into his death indicates that dissidents from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were responsible. As experts say, it’s still not clear who planned the attack. His death has raised new demands to reflect and demand that Colombia confront its long-established cycle of violence.
Pedro Viveros, a political analyst, emphasized the broader implications of Uribe’s death: “either fail as a society or close the chapter on the many forms of violence the country has experienced.” This collective yearning reminds us of the stakes if Colombia fails to reckon with its past and find a way forward toward healing.
Senator María José Pizarro echoed similar concerns about the need for truth and justice, stressing that “only with truth and justice will political violence be eradicated, the violence that has ended the life of Miguel Uribe and so many political leaders who had much to contribute to this society.”
Uribe has been an outspoken critic of the current administration of President Gustavo Petro. He became an unexpected youthful face of dissent against the government. His executed legacy has the potential to define Colombia’s future political and social landscape. Formative allies such as his spouse, María Claudia Tarazona, and Political Party leader Álvaro Uribe Vélez are poised to make important plays in choosing their candidate for next year’s elections.
In a poignant reflection on his life’s challenges, Miguel Uribe once stated, “I could have grown up seeking revenge, but I decided to do the right thing: forgive, but never forget.” This point of view rings especially true in a nation that continues to face generations of violence and revenge killings.
President Petro acknowledged this complex narrative when he remarked, “Vengeance is not the way for Colombia. Decades of violence have resulted from revenge. No more.” And above all, he taught the value of protecting and expanding life. This joint statement calls for the entire community to change the tragic reality we lost Uribe to.
As an emerging leader, Colombia surely has a collective heartache over the loss of Miguel Uribe. His assassination serves as a painful reminder of political violence’s persistent threat across our country. The call to action is clear: Colombia must confront its violent past while striving for a future defined by peace and justice.
