Woman arrested in connection with attack on Colombian senator

Sunday 15 June 2025 - 08:01

By: Zahouani Ilham

Woman arrested in connection with attack on Colombian senator

A woman suspected of involvement in the attempted assassination of Colombian Senator Esteban Uribe has been arrested in the Caquetá region, police confirmed Saturday. Uribe, a 39-year-old conservative and a prominent opposition figure, was seriously injured after being shot twice in the head and once in the leg during a public speech on June 7 in western Bogotá.

The main suspect in the attack is a 15-year-old boy who allegedly carried out the shooting. He and an accomplice, who reportedly helped with logistics, were previously taken into custody. Authorities say both suspects face charges of homicide and illegal possession of firearms. The teenager has pleaded not guilty, claiming he was offered over 20 million pesos (approximately $4,800) to carry out the attack, according to a Semana magazine report.

El Tiempo reported that one of the detainees identified the suspected mastermind as a criminal based in Ecuador who is known to control drug trafficking operations in Bogotá.

The woman arrested in Caquetá is expected to be transferred to Bogotá shortly. Officials have not released further information about her role in the case.

Senator Uribe remains in intensive care but has shown signs of recovery, with President Gustavo Petro remarking that his survival defies medical explanation. “He should be dead... but he is recovering,” Petro said Saturday.

In response to the attack, Uribe's party the opposition Democratic Center has temporarily halted campaign activities ahead of the 2026 presidential elections. Uribe has long been a vocal critic of President Petro, Colombia's first leftist head of state, whose efforts to negotiate peace with remaining armed groups have so far failed.