Presidential pre-candidate and senator Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during a political rally in Bogotá on Saturday (June 7) in an attack that has been condemned both in the South American country and internationally. Uribe is a member of the right-wing Democratic Center party. 

The senator sustained three gunshot wounds, two of them to the head, and is currently in intensive care at a hospital in the Colombian capital. Videos circulating on social media show the politician delivering a campaign speech when gunfire erupts. Other videos show him afterward, bloodied and lying on a vehicle, being supported by several men.

The suspect in the attack, a minor, was apprehended by members of Uribe's security team and was wounded in the leg after exchanging gunfire.

Following the news of the assassination attempt on presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, various Christian leaders from Colombia and across Latin America reacted on social media, condemning the violence and calling for prayer and peace.

Pastor and former congressman John Milton Rodríguez called for prayers for Senator Uribe Turbay’s life. “Our prayer is for the recovery of Senator Miguel Uribe. Our solidarity goes out to his wife María Claudia, his children, and his entire family,” he said in a video posted to Instagram. “We lift our prayers for unity and peace in our country. We reject violence. We ask that all law enforcement, security forces, and the government restore safety for all Colombians,” Rodríguez added.

Evangelist Alberto Mottesi posted a photo on his official Facebook page showing him praying for candidate Uribe Turbay. “NO TO VIOLENCE,” Mottesi wrote in capital letters. “We pray for Colombian presidential pre-candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, who has just suffered an attack. How long will our beloved Latin America continue to experience crime, corruption, and violence? Let us cry out for the redemption of our nations,” the evangelical leader concluded.

Author, university professor, and speaker José González, leader of the organization Semilla, stated: “I pray for Miguel Uribe Turbay, a victim of hatred and violence—for his family, for the doctors, deacons of God for bodily healing, for his followers, and for the noble Colombian people, that they may not fall into the trap set by the spirit of terrorism meant to intimidate the opposition and the public.”

González added, “May this multiply the fear of God and the courage of those who are called to rescue their people from the darkness that threatens them. Help us, Lord Jesus, for Colombia!”

Miguel Uribe Turbay is a lawyer by profession with a political career that includes serving as Bogotá’s Secretary of Government (2016–2018) under Mayor Enrique Peñalosa and as a city councilman from 2012 to 2015, during which time he also presided over the council.

Of Lebanese descent and a former member of the Liberal Party, Uribe ran for mayor of Bogotá in 2019 and was elected senator in 2022, heading the list for his current party.

In an interview with Valores Cristianos newspaper, Uribe Turbay had previously stated that Colombian President Gustavo Petro “represents the exact opposite of Christian values. In fact, he represents anti-values—he is someone who wants to invert those values… and throughout his political life he has persecuted those of us with Christian faith.”

Amid the national shock following the attack on Uribe Turbay, many voices have called for unity and prayer. Opinion leaders and citizens have organized a nationwide prayer vigil for his recovery, inviting the entire country to join in prayer. The gathering was on Sunday, June 8 at 2:00 p.m., with the main location being the Santa Fe Clinic in Bogotá, where Uribe remains under medical observation.

At noon on Sunday, Miguel Uribe’s wife stepped out of the clinic to speak to the press. “I want to thank everyone who has joined in prayer for Miguel’s life. I want to thank every Colombian who has shown solidarity with me, my children, and my family,” she said.

María Claudia also urged people to continue the chain of prayer for her husband. “Miguel continues fighting hard for his life, and I ask that we keep praying, that we not give up, and that we remain united in prayer.”

Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.