Who was Diana Turbay? Journalist kidnapped by Pablo Escobar and mother of Miguel Uribe who was shot today

Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe was shot three times during a campaign event in Bogota on Saturday, including twice in the head. He was immediately rushed to hospital, fighting for his life. Authorities swiftly arrested a 15-year-old boy carrying a firearm at the scene. Defence Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed the arrest and said investigations are ongoing into possible accomplices. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.

Uribe’s wife, Maria Claudia Tarazona, appealed publicly for support, saying on social media, "I am Maria Claudia Tarazona, Miguel's wife. Miguel is currently fighting for his life. Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him. I ask everyone to join us in a chain of prayer for Miguel's life. I put my faith in God."

A family marked by history and tragedy

Miguel Uribe belongs to a prominent Colombian family with deep political and journalistic roots. His father was a union leader and businessman connected to Colombia’s Liberal Party. But it is his mother, Diana Turbay, whose story casts a long shadow.

Diana Turbay was a respected journalist and daughter of Julio César Turbay Ayala, Colombia’s 25th president. Born in 1950 in Bogota, she was known for her refusal to sensationalise violence, a rare stance in a country long plagued by drug cartel terror.

Miguel Uribe shooting: The kidnapping that shook Colombia

In August 1990, Diana Turbay set out to interview a guerrilla leader, Manuel Pérez Martínez, alias El Cura Pérez, from the ELN (National Liberation Army), accompanied by five other journalists and a cameraman. But the interview was a trap.

The guerrillas were members of Los Priscos, a violent gang working for Pablo Escobar’s Medellin Cartel. They kidnapped Turbay and her crew to pressure the Colombian government to halt extradition agreements with the United States—a key demand of Escobar.

Turbay was held for nearly five months at a remote ranch in Copacabana, north of Medellin. Despite captivity, she showed remarkable courage and integrity. She smuggled letters, advocated for the release of fellow journalists, and reportedly urged authorities to avoid violent rescue attempts. She even earned the respect of her captors.

Miguel Uribe shooting: The tragic rescue and death

On 25 January 1991, Colombian police launched a rescue operation without informing Turbay’s family. The raid ended in disaster.

Diana was struck by a bullet in the back, which severely damaged her liver and kidney. She was taken to a hospital in Medellin but died soon after emergency surgery. It remains unclear whether the fatal shot was fired by her captors or the rescuers, but the operation was widely criticised.

The Inter American Press Association noted, "She had been kidnapped by Escobar to put pressure on the then president, César Gaviria, to overturn the extradition agreement with the United States."

Her death was not only a personal tragedy but a national symbol of Colombia’s brutal fight against drug cartels.

Diana Turbay's story lives on. Her death was chronicled in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s News of a Kidnapping and portrayed in the Netflix series Narcos.

Her son Miguel has often spoken of her as his guiding light. On 25 January 2024, he tweeted, "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…" ("Thirty-three years ago I lost my mother, Diana Turbay, and today despite the time that has passed, my mother has been my motivation and example to work for our country. She taught me that principles are not negotiable and the value of integrity. As a journalist, she was faithful to the truth and a believer in...")

The attack on Miguel Uribe has stirred concern across the nation. Political violence threatens to overshadow democratic processes. The arrest of a 15-year-old points to deeper societal problems needing urgent attention.

For many Colombians, Uribe’s survival is not just a personal matter. It is linked to a broader hope for peace and stability in a country long scarred by violence.

As his wife pleaded, "Let us ask God to guide the hands of the doctors who are treating him." The nation waits anxiously, holding onto hope for a recovery that could symbolise resilience in the face of ongoing challenges.