Colombian presidential candidate shot in head: Attack recalls tragic fate of mother who was killed by Pablo Escobar

Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay was shot three times—twice in the head—during a campaign event in a park in Bogotá on Saturday. He is currently fighting for his life, his wife Maria Claudia Tarazona confirmed.

Local media reported that a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed the arrest and said authorities are investigating if others were involved. The motive for the attack remains unclear.

Uribe comes from a prominent Colombian family. His mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist and the daughter of Colombia’s 25th president, Julio César Turbay. In 1990, she was kidnapped by a gang working for drug lord Pablo Escobar and died during a failed rescue attempt.

Who was Diana Turbay?

Diana Turbay was born in 1950 and was a respected journalist known for her sharp reporting and human touch. She founded and led the news magazine Hoy x Hoy and stood out for avoiding sensationalism during a time of intense violence in Colombia.

Hace 33 años perdí a mi mamá, Diana Turbay y hoy a pesar del tiempo que ha pasado, mi mamá ha sido mi motivación y ejemplo para trabajar por nuestro país.

Me enseñó que los principios no se negocian y el valor de la integridad.

Como periodista fue fiel a la verdad y creyente de… pic.twitter.com/rmpoDzeRkW

— Miguel Uribe (@MiguelUribeT) January 25, 2024

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In August 1990, she left Bogotá with a group of journalists to interview a guerrilla leader known as “Cura Pérez.” But it was a trap. The supposed guerrillas were members of Los Priscos, a criminal group tied to Pablo Escobar. The aim was to kidnap public figures and pressure the Colombian government to stop extraditing drug traffickers to the US.

Diana was held in captivity for nearly five months in the hills near Medellín. She reportedly remained calm, wrote letters to her family, and urged the government not to use force for her release.

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On January 25, 1991, a police rescue mission ended in tragedy. Diana was hit by a bullet during the operation and died shortly after surgery. It remains unclear whether the fatal shot came from her captors or the rescuers. Her family had opposed a forceful rescue, fearing exactly this outcome.

Her story was later told in Gabriel García Márquez’s News of a Kidnapping.