Colombian presidential candidate shot in the head during rally

A Colombian presidential contender was seriously wounded after being shot during a campaign event in Bogotá.

Miguel Uribe Turbay, aged 39, sustained three gunshot wounds, reportedly two to the head, while speaking to a small gathering in a city park on Saturday.

Authorities apprehended a suspect at the scene, while Uribe was rushed to hospital in critical condition, according to local media outlets.

Uribe’s political party, Centro Democrático, strongly denounced the shooting, describing it as an attack not only on the life of a political figure but also on Colombia’s democratic values and freedoms.

Footage captured on a mobile phone appears to show the moment gunfire erupted mid-speech, triggering chaos as people scrambled for safety.

AFP reported that paramedics confirmed Uribe had been hit three times, including two shots to the head.

The administration of leftist President Gustavo Petro issued a strong condemnation of the attack, describing it as “an act of violence not only against the individual, but also against democracy itself.”

Uribe, a prominent figure in Colombia’s political landscape, had officially declared his bid for the presidency in the upcoming election set for next year, making the announcement in October.

Uribe is the son of the late journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed in 1991 during a failed rescue operation after being abducted by the Medellín drug cartel, which was then led by notorious kingpin Pablo Escobar.