A shocking attack unfolded in Colombia’s capital, Bogota, where a 15-year-old boy shot a presidential candidate, leaving him in critical condition.
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a 39-year-old senator, was shot three times, with two bullets hitting his head, while giving a speech in a park. Videos show the moment he was shot, and people running away in panic. He was taken to the hospital by helicopter and underwent emergency surgery.
The hospital said Uribe is in intensive care and his condition is still very serious.
Police arrested the 15-year-old suspect at the scene. He was shot in the leg while trying to escape and had a 9mm pistol on him.
Many people condemned the attack, including the opposition party, Centro Democratico, which Uribe belongs to. They called it a threat to democracy and freedom in Colombia.
President Gustavo Petro said the attack was not just against Uribe, but against democracy itself. The defense minister offered a reward of 3 billion pesos (around 23.7 million baht) for information about anyone behind the attack.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the attack, saying it was a direct threat to democracy and blamed it on the left’s violent rhetoric.
Colombia’s government and opposition have used strong language against each other, especially in recent weeks. President Petro has been pushing for his reform plans, while opposition leaders, including Uribe, say his methods are unconstitutional.
After the attack, President Petro called for Colombians to wish Uribe a speedy recovery, saying they may have political differences, but that’s all.
Uribe is a right-wing politician and a strong critic of President Petro. He announced his candidacy for the presidential election in October next year. He comes from a prominent political family in Colombia and has ties to the liberal party. His father was a union leader and businessman, and his mother was a journalist who was killed in 1991 after being kidnapped by the Medellin cartel.