Redacción: La Tabla/Plataforma de Periodismo de Datos 11 AGOSTO 2025
Miguel Uribe Turbay, a Colombian senator and presidential hopeful, spoke prophetic words just moments before a teenage hitman shot him with a Glock 9mm in a Bogotá park: “I truly believe that any good Colombian who feels the need for a weapon should be able to have one.” The irony is harsh: the murder weapon was legally purchased in Arizona, USA, where gun laws are among the most lenient in the country, and ended up in the hands of a minor recruited by a criminal network.
Two Conflicting Models
Arizona permits the purchase of guns without a permit in private sales and allows carrying without a license, based on the doctrine of “constitutional carry”. Colombia, on the other hand, has a restrictive system: only the state can import firearms, and civilians need exceptional permits. Nonetheless, 80% of illegal guns in the country are of foreign origin, many from the USA. The case of Uribe Turbay illustrates this flow: the Glock used in his assassination was bought in 2020 in Mesa, Arizona, by Charles Joe Anderson, but was never registered in Colombia.
The System Flaw
The trafficking of guns from states like Arizona fuels violence in Latin America. In Mexico, 75% of homicides are committed with American weapons; in Colombia, criminal organizations use them for hits and armed conflicts. Uribe Turbay, a victim of this cycle, had proposed to expand legal carry for “good citizens,” arguing that criminals would get them anyway. However, his death highlights the dangers of liberalizing access without robust controls: the gun that killed him entered the country through illegal channels that bypass any regulation.
Conclusion
After 66 days of suffering, Uribe Turbay passed away on August 11. Six individuals have been apprehended, including the shooter (a 15-year-old minor) and the mastermind, Elder Arteaga (“Chipi”). However, the motive behind the attack remains murky: only a nickname “Zarco Aldinever,” linked to FARC dissidents, has been uncovered. The paradox continues: a pro-gun advocate was killed by one that crossed borders thanks to permissive laws, the same ones he wished to emulate. His case shows that in a region riddled with organized crime, more guns don’t equate to more safety, but rather more violence.