Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro said on Saturday (June 7) night that no hypothesis would be ruled out in the investigation into the shooting of Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender.

The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party, founded by former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. The two men are not related.

The party described the attack as serious but did not disclose further details on Uribe’s condition. Videos on social media showed a man, identified as Uribe, being tended to after the shooting. He appeared to be bleeding from his head.

Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said a suspect had been arrested in the shooting and that authorities were investigating whether others were involved. The government later revealed that the person arrested was a minor.

Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, comes from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991.

Colombia has for decades been embroiled in conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 7, 2025) (COLOMBIAN PRESIDENCY HANDOUT – Access all)

1. COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO SITTING WITH OFFICIALS

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO SAYING:

“For now there is nothing more than hypothesis, and hypothesis cannot be discarded because we would affect the science of investigation.”

3. OFFICIALS LISTENING TO PETRO

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO SAYING:

“A Colombian political leader, no matter his posture, what team he is part of, the way he thinks - was the victim of an assassination attempt that hopefully will not succeed. The government of Colombia serves life.”

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (JUNE 7, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL WHERE SENATOR MIGUEL URIBE IS HOSPITALISED, CHANTING (Spanish): "OUT WITH (COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT GUSTAVO) PETRO"

6. PEOPLE CHANTING (Spanish): "PETRO IS A MURDERER!"

7. PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, RICARDO JOYA, SAYING:

“I feel sadness, uselessness, anger. No one can express themselves. Whoever expresses a different opinion gets murdered. Today we’re seeing the example of Miguel Uribe. He was shot six times, the report says he got two in the head. We are praying to God he will survive. What is happening in the country is nasty.”

9. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, JORGE SILVA, SAYING:

“We’ve been living under political violence for two years, aggressiveness and verbal violence from the President. This could lead Colombia into a civil war. What happened today could be the trigger of a civil war.”

11. POLICE GUARDING PEOPLE OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

12. PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

13. FENCES AROUND HOSPITAL

14. POLICE GUARDING HOSPITAL