Colombian senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot during a political rally in Bogotá on Saturday, an attack that has drawn condemnation both nationally and internationally.
The shooting occurred while the senator was giving a campaign speech, and videos on social media captured the moment gunshots were heard. He was injured three times, twice in the head, and is currently in intensive care at a hospital in Colombia's capital.
In response to the attack, numerous Christian leaders from Colombia and Latin America took to social media to condemn the violence and call for prayer and peace. Pastor and former congressman John Milton Rodríguez requested prayers for Turbay's recovery, stating, “Our prayers for the recovery of Senator Miguel Uribe. Our solidarity with his wife María Claudia, his children, and his entire family.”
“We raise our prayers for unity and peace in our country. We reject violence. Our request that all law enforcement, security forces, and the government restore security for all Colombians,” Rodríguez added.
Evangelist Alberto Mottesi shared a photo on Facebook of himself praying for Turbay, with the caption, “NO TO VIOLENCE.” He expressed concern about the ongoing issues in Latin America, asking, “How long will our beloved Latin America continue to experience crime, corruption, and violence? Let us cry out for the redemption of our nations.”
José González, a university professor and leader of the Semilla organization, also spoke out, declaring, “I pray for Miguel Uribe Turbay, victim of hatred and violence, for his family, for the doctors, deacons of God for the health of the body, for his followers and for the Noble Colombian people, do not succumb to the trap that the spirit of terrorism has set for you, to intimidate the opposition and the citizens.”
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a lawyer by profession, has served as Secretary of Government of Bogotá from 2016 to 2018 under Mayor Enrique Peñalosa and was a councilman of the city from 2012 to 2015, even presiding over the council during that period. 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, leading his party’s list.
In an interview with Valores Cristianos, Uribe Turbay criticized President Gustavo Petro, stating that “Petro represents the exact opposite of what Christian values represent. What's more, he represents anti-values; he's a person who wants to invert those values... and of course, throughout his political life, he has persecuted those of us who hold Christian faith.”
Amid the national uproar over the assassination attempt, many voices have called for unity and prayer. There have been calls for a national day of prayer for Uribe Turbay’s recovery, inviting all Colombians to join in prayer for his health and peace for the nation.
