BOGOTÁ: A conservative Colombian lawmaker narrowly avoided injury after his vehicle was shot at on Wednesday.
The attack occurred the same day murdered presidential candidate Miguel Uribe was laid to rest in an emotional ceremony.
Julio Cesar Triana, a prominent critic of Colombia’s leftist government, confirmed the assault happened in the southern Huila region.
The area remains active with dissident factions of the disbanded FARC guerrilla group.
“They attacked us, they shot at us with a rifle and a pistol... We were hit several times,“ Triana said in a video shared on social media.
Footage showed multiple bullet holes piercing the vehicle’s windshield, though no injuries were reported.
President Gustavo Petro ordered a military helicopter to evacuate Triana from the scene.
Security forces reportedly engaged the assailants following the incident.
Meanwhile, Uribe’s widow delivered a tearful plea at his funeral, urging Colombia to confront its history of political bloodshed.
The 39-year-old conservative senator was fatally wounded during a campaign event in Bogotá last June.
His death has intensified scrutiny over candidate safety ahead of the 2026 elections.
Independent research group Indepaz recorded 74 political candidate killings between 2016 and 2024. - AFP
