Father Launches Presidential Candidacy Amid Grief Over Son’s Murder and Makes Emotional Oath

On Tuesday (26), ex-minister Miguel Uribe Londoño officially announced his pre-candidacy for the presidency of Colombia at an event in the courtyard of the National Congress in Bogotá. The decision came a few days after the murder of his son, Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay, a crime that deeply impacted the political scene and reinforced security as a central axis of his proposal.
The ceremony took place at Plaza Núñez, in front of the Capitol, and had the support of former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez. The event also highlighted internal divisions within the Democratic Center Party, through which Londoño will compete for the presidential nomination alongside María Fernanda Cabal, Paloma Valencia, Paola Holguín, and Andrés Guerra.
Information indicates that Londoño’s entry into the race was decided after intense negotiations between his family and the party leadership, culminating in a meeting held on the 21st in Rionegro (Antioquia). The final choice of the Democratic Center’s candidate will be made through an internal poll scheduled for December or January.
In his inaugural speech, Londoño highlighted his history marked by violent losses and promised to turn pain into collective struggle. “Today I speak to you of the deepest wound that a human being can suffer: that of a father saying farewell to his son, murdered for his ideas,” he said emotionally. The pre-candidate emphasized that his campaign will prioritize national security, as well as the resumption of relations with the United States and the continuity of the North-South program initiated by his son. The campaign team of Miguel Uribe Turbay was retained in an attempt to preserve the political legacy of the murdered senator.
María Angélica Guerra’s swearing-in to the seat left by Uribe Turbay, held hours after the launch, symbolized the family’s continued influence in Congress. Concluding his speech, Londoño made a solemn oath before the country: “I will not rest my hands, my heart, and my soul until Colombia no longer has a martyr to violence and terror. I swear I will give everything for Colombia.”