Assassination in Colombia: Conservative candidate Miguel Uribe, one of President Petro's biggest critics, dies two months after being shot

Colombian right-wing Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay died Monday at the clinic where he remained hospitalized in critical condition after being shot three times, twice in the head, on June 7 while participating in a campaign rally.

The Bogotá Mayor's Office confirmed the news in the early hours with a post on X.

The Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, the clinic where the 39-year-old politician remained hospitalized, has been providing update's on the candidate's status since the assassination attempt more than two months ago.

Miguel Uribe was one of the most vocal critics of President Gustavo Petro, who at the time of this writing has not commented publicly on the case.

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2010) mourned the death of the young senator with a message on social media: "Evil destroys everything. They killed hope. May Miguel's struggle be a light that illuminates the right path for Colombia," he wrote.

Uribe Vélez has no family ties to the deceased politician, although he is the leader of the political party to which Uribe Turbay belonged, the Centro Democrático.

Despite some encouraging signs in recent weeks, Uribe Tubay's health condition never stabilized. Three surgeries and several medical treatments kept the senator on a ventilator and life support.

The shooter and the absence of "the mastermind"

A 15-year-old is in custody and is accused of being the shooter, as well as two other suspected accomplices. All were charged with attempted homicide and illegal possession of weapons, in addition to other crimes. However, none of them accepted the charges so far.

The official investigation of the case is ongoing, although the mastermind of the attack is still suspected to be at large.

Many doubts, little evidence

The attorney general's office reiterated from the beginning of the investigation the need to establish the circumstances of the time, place and manner of the violent attack against the presidential candidate, something that could give indications of the other actors who were allegedly involved.

Days later, in addition to the 15-year-old arrested on the day of the shooting, two others were arrested: Katerine Andrea Martínez Martínez, who allegedly participated in the planning of the armed attack against the senator, and another accused, whose name has not been disclosed, who turned himself in, and who also allegedly participated in the planning of the attack which took place on June 7.

In this regard, the authorities explained that the two most recent arrestees are accused of the crimes of attempted aggravated homicide; manufacture, trafficking, carrying or possession of firearms, accessories, parts or ammunition; and use of minors in the commission of crimes.

The murder weapon(s) and a phantom cell phone

Another pending piece of information that could give a twist to the investigation that has not yet closed is if in there was another weapon used in the attack besides the one seized.

Colombian Attorney General Luz Adriana Camargo warned at the time that "it was not possible to establish whether the wounds on the body of Senator Miguel Uribe correspond to or were the result of the shots fired by the same firearm." Uribe was hit twice in the head and once in the left leg.

The phone of the alleged shooter also disappeared from the crime scene and is not in police custody, according to investigators. This is another detail that has kept the case in suspense.