The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday expressed shock and sorrow over the death of Colombian senator and presidential pre‑candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay.

Uribe Turbay, 39, a rising figure in the conservative Democratic Center party, was shot during a campaign rally at Bogotá’s El Golfito Park on June 7, struck twice in the head and once in the leg. A video published in June shows him being shot mid-speech. Footage depicted him collapsed against a white car hood daubed with blood.

High Commissioner Volker Türk wrote that Uribe Turbay’s “death is a stark reminder of the importance that Colombia’s upcoming elections be conducted with respect for the lives of all, free from violence and in a climate that allows for safe and inclusive participation.”

The senator underwent multiple surgeries, spending nine weeks in intensive care before passing away on Monday.

Uribe Turbay’s wife, María Claudia Tarazona, called him “the love of [her] life,” thanking him for being a father to their children and vowing to take care of the children.

Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the assassination, including a teenage gunman who allegedly claimed he was paid by a local drug dealer. Authorities have pursued the “intellectual authors” behind the attack, with a 3 billion‑peso (approximately $161,000) reward offered and international assistance engaged.

The incident has reignited haunting reminders of Colombia’s violent political past, recalling five presidential candidates assassinated during the 1980s and 1990s.

In response, President Gustavo Petro denounced the killing as “a defeat for democracy” and pledged to intensify the investigation.

Uribe Turbay’s mother, Diana Turbay, also met an untimely death in the wake of advocacy. When he was five years old, Diana Turbay was killed by Pablo Escobar’s Medellín cartel during a rescue mission. Uribe Turbay asked in a 2024 interview: “If my mother was willing to give her life for a cause, how could I not do the same in life and in politics?”