In Colombia, a Senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe, was shot at a rally in Bogota in June, and died of his wounds on Aug. 11. His family announced that he died in hospital at the age of 39.
The late Senator Uribe was campaigning for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Center Party for next year’s election on June 7 when he was shot twice in the head and once in the leg by a fifteen-year-old gunman. The suspect fled but was shot, wounded and arrested.
Senator Uribe underwent several surgeries but remained in critical condition. His widow, Maria Claudia, released a statement saying she is praying to God to show her how to continue and take care of their two children.
The Colombian Episcopal Conference (CEC) expressed its profound sorrow for the death of Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, which occurred this Monday, August 11, as a result of the attack on June 7 in Bogotá.
In an official statement , the bishops expressed their solidarity with the family of the former congressman, whom they entrusted "to the Lord for comfort" in this hour of mourning.
The Presidency of the Episcopate issued a strong appeal to the authorities: "We ask the competent authorities and entities of the State to continue their efforts to clarify the truth about this assassination, so that it does not go unpunished."
At the same time, the bishops urged Colombians "not to let our hope be stolen" and to peacefully defend the national values, based on the emblem's motto: "Liberty and Order!" They explained that this ideal implies:
- Freedom for integral human development, respect for differences without violence, and the protection of life in all its forms.
- A just order that guarantees social participation, harmony, and respect for citizens' rights.
On this day, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, through a video message, expressed his condolences to the Uribe Turbay family: "Today we want to tell the Uribe Turbay family that we surround them (...) Now we present him to God the Father so that he may receive him in his eternal home ." The cardinal called for national unity: "This is not a time to divide us. This is a time to unite," and insisted on rejecting all violence.
Both messages agreed that "violence is not a path to life or progress" and underscored the challenge of building "equity, justice, reconciliation, and peace." The CEC concluded its statement with a prayer for Colombia, asking that "enemies return to friendship, adversaries join hands, and peoples seek unity" (Preface to Reconciliation II).
See below the reading of the statement by the Secretary of the Colombian Episcopal Conference:
https://www.cec.org.co/sistema-informativo/actualidad/magnicidio-de-miguel-uribe-turbay-obispos-colombianos-expresan-su
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