The Colombian trance

By: Pedro Corzo - 24/08/2025

Guest columnist.
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There are events that mark a before and after in a country's history, and the assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, Colombia's presidential candidate for the Democratic Center party, was one of those episodes that will dramatically impact Colombian history.

Senator Uribe, who died at the age of 39, was a lawyer and grandson of former President Julio Cesar Turbay, and son of journalist Diana Turbay, who was killed by the narco-terrorism group led by Pablo Escobar.

When announcing his presidential bid, the legislator alluded to his mother's murder with words that demonstrated his commitment and respect for the law: "I could have grown up seeking revenge, but I decided to do the right thing: forgive, but never forget." Uribe, identified with the political right, as evidenced by his party affiliation, considered public safety a key aspect of government administration and favored foreign investment.

Unfortunately, similar crimes have taken place in Colombia. All in an atmosphere of high political tension, but this one occurs in a context of heightened tension due to the proximity of the national elections in May of next year, the strong antagonism between the pre-candidates, the controversial house arrest of former President Álvaro Uribe, and the peculiarity that all these developments are occurring at a time when the country is governed, for the first time in its history, by an administration identified with the political left, whose president enjoys barely 37% of the electorate's support.

The political group, the Historic Pact, led by President Petro, selected its presidential candidates and brings together several organizations such as Colombia Humana, the Alternative Democratic Pole, the Patriotic Union, and the Communist Party, together with the goal of building a united force to support the current president's policies in the 2026 elections, and seeking to create a single party with all the implications that this entails.

For their part, the candidates of the conservative, right-wing Democratic Center may reconsider their position after the death of Senator Uribe and the house arrest of former President Álvaro Uribe, the undisputed leader of that political party in the country and a highly respected public figure on the international stage.

Defeating the political faction that identifies with Gustavo Petro shouldn't be difficult because the majority of the population is showing dissatisfaction with his presidential administration. However, the right must understand that if it faces a divided leftist bloc, defeat is very likely.

The upcoming elections in Colombia are particularly decisive. Voters will be able to determine whether their vote for the left in the last election met their expectations or whether their hopes were dashed by the poor performance of the current government.

Furthermore, the situation is complicated by the apparent rapprochement between Bogotá and the Venezuelan dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro, who proposed the union of the Colombian Armed Forces with the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, a formula proposed after President Gustavo Petro expressed his support following tensions with the United States, which issued a statement offering a $50 million reward for the autocrat's capture.

The tragic death of Senator Uribe Turbay brings us to the first of these assassinations, bringing the total to eight. The first occurred 111 years ago. The victim was a general who, curiously, had the same last name as the slain congressman.

According to a report by Brian Ferney Valencia published in the newspaper "Colombiano," the murdered man was an Antioquian general named Rafael Uribe Uribe. This soldier had participated in three national conflicts and was also a senator, diplomat, lawyer, and journalist. The report details that he was killed with an axe next to the National Capitol.

It's important to note that, despite continued political violence, terrorism, kidnappings, and drug trafficking, Colombia has never lost its constitutional rhythm, even though the guerrillas' close association with organized crime has seriously endangered democracy.

For the benefit of the country, the main democratic actors in Colombian public life—politicians, military personnel, social leaders, and active sectors of the communities—have had the necessary foresight to maintain equanimity and not be provoked by those who want to promote chaos and lead the country into the Venezuelan sea of ​​happiness, just as Hugo Chávez and Nicolas Maduro have led the Venezuelan people into the swamp of Castroism.

«The opinions published herein are the sole responsibility of its author».