Colombian presidential candidate dies after being shot in June

BOGOTA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Colombian Senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay died at 1:56 a.m. local time (0656 GMT) on Monday, two months after being shot at a political rally in June.

"The team in charge of caring for Mr. Uribe Turbay in all areas of the institution worked tirelessly during these more than two months since his admission with serious injuries," said the hospital, La Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota, in a statement.

"Despite all efforts, it is a sad outcome, which is why we express our solidarity with the entire Uribe Turbay family in these moments of deep pain," it added.

"This act of violence is an attack not only against the ... senator, but also against democracy, freedom of thought and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia," said the Colombian government after the attack.

Uribe Turbay, 39, was shot in Bogota on the afternoon of June 7 and then taken to the hospital, where he underwent several operations, according to local media reports.

Police confirmed that Uribe Turbay was attending a political rally in the capital at the time of the attack. Witnesses told local media that a man got off a motorcycle before firing several shots at him at close range. ■