Colombian Authorities Arrest Ninth Suspect in Political Assassination Case

On Tuesday, Colombian law enforcement revealed they had arrested a ninth individual linked to the assassination of Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay, a conservative presidential candidate. New evidence suggests that the communist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) may be involved in this conspiracy.

Sen. Uribe, who was a leading candidate from the Democratic Party’s centrist coalition for the 2026 presidential election, was shot in the head on June 7 after leaving a campaign event. The shooter, a youth believed to be 14 or 15 years old, was apprehended at the scene. Uribe remained in intensive care until he passed away in August at the age of 39.

The young shooter is currently in custody, but authorities believe he acted in coordination with others. Nine arrests have now been made in connection to the assassination. The latest suspect, Simeon Perez Marroquin—known by the alias “El Viejo” or “Old Man”—was taken into custody this week.

William Rincon, the chief of Colombia’s National Police, noted in a press release that El Viejo could serve as a conduit between the assassination planners and FARC, which is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S.

“This person might be connected to the criminal organization behind Sen. Miguel Uribe’s murder,” Rincon stated. “Today, the leading theory is that the group responsible was… Segunda Marquetaria.”

Rincon described “the old man” as a key player in both the planning and execution of the senator’s assassination.

Segunda Marquetaria is a faction of FARC that has continued to engage in violent activities despite the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian government and FARC. Following the founding of FARC in 1964, the group has caused turmoil in Colombia for decades. The 2016 peace deal, which involved controversial criminal amnesties and political concessions for former FARC leaders, received criticism and has not eliminated all of the group’s influence. In fact, some of these leaders continued to exercise power post-agreement, while other factions remained active in illicit drug production and trafficking.

Immediately following Uribe’s assassination, FARC reportedly instigated bombings targeting the government.

Rincon indicated that the killing aimed to convey a political message—perhaps meant to intimidate leaders like Uribe, who have maintained tough stances against FARC, and deter them from political engagement.

Earlier police assessments suggested that the FARC organization planned the attack, potentially coordinating from Venezuela. Law enforcement has previously accused FARC commander José Aldinevar “Zarco Aldinevar” Sierra Sabogal of orchestrating attacks in Venezuela, distancing the terrorist group from direct actions by using local gangs. Interestingly, Sierra Sabogal was among the negotiators involved in the controversial 2016 peace agreement.

The upcoming 2026 presidential election in Colombia is anticipated to be one of the most unprecedented in recent history. This is largely due to the constitutional prohibition against re-election, which assures there won’t be an incumbent running, alongside the country’s troubled political landscape under President Gustavo Petro’s leadership. Petro, who became the first leftist president in 2022, rose to power by capitalizing on grievances against his predecessor, Iván Duque, particularly regarding the handling of the pandemic. Under Petro’s administration, there has been a notable resurgence of FARC and spikes in cocaine production.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), cocaine trafficking and seizures have reached alarming levels. Their report indicates that coca leaf production and cocaine manufacturing have increased in Colombia’s high-yield areas, in stark contrast to Bolivia and Peru, where output has stabilized or decreased.

The report also reveals that global cocaine seizures reached record highs in 2023, with a 68 percent increase since 2019.

Colombia continues to dominate as the world’s largest coca leaf and cocaine producer.