Colombian Officials Issue Warrants for Rebel Leaders in Senator’s Murder

Colombia's top prosecutor has issued arrest warrants for seven rebel leaders connected to the 2025 assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe in Bogota. The warrants target high-ranking members of the Segunda Marquetalia group, with authorities calling the killing a coordinated attack on democracy.

Colombian prosecutors announced Tuesday they have issued arrest warrants for seven top commanders of the Segunda Marquetalia rebel organization in connection with last year’s killing of Senator Miguel Uribe, a prominent opposition figure and presidential candidate.

The warrants name several high-profile guerrilla commanders, including Ivan Luciano Marin Arango and Gener Garcia Molina, who go by the code names Ivan Marquez and Jhon 40. Prosecutors describe the senator’s death as a calculated assault designed to undermine Colombia’s democratic institutions.

Intelligence officials believe Marquez and other wanted suspects are currently hiding across the border in Venezuela.

The lawmaker, who came from an influential political dynasty and represented conservative opposition parties, was gunned down during a campaign rally in Colombia’s capital last June. The shooting occurred as Uribe addressed supporters ahead of this year’s electoral contests.

The brazen daylight attack represented the most serious episode of political bloodshed in almost twenty years, bringing back painful memories of the violent 1980s and 1990s when drug trafficking organizations murdered four different presidential contenders.

Chief Prosecutor Luz Adriana Camargo described the June shooting as a carefully planned criminal conspiracy that utilized hired street gangs. Investigation findings point to Kendry Tellez as the main organizer who allegedly arranged payment of 1 billion pesos (equivalent to $250,000) for the assassination during border region meetings.

“Dr. Uribe Turbay’s killing was driven by political and strategic motivations connected to his roles as both a legislator and electoral candidate,” Camargo stated, though she declined to elaborate on the specific political factors that may have prompted the attack.

Tuesday’s warrant announcement represents the culmination of an extensive investigation that has already resulted in nine prosecutions.

Court records show Simeon Perez received more than 22 years in prison for serving as an intermediary between rebel commanders and the urban assassination team. Two additional defendants were sentenced to 21-year terms for conducting surveillance and providing logistical support, while a 15-year-old minor identified as the actual gunman received sanctions under juvenile justice procedures.

The seven suspects named in the new warrants face multiple charges including aggravated murder and criminal conspiracy.

Segunda Marquetalia represents a breakaway wing of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC. The organization’s leadership initially participated in a 2016 peace agreement but resumed armed activities three years afterward, claiming the government failed to honor its commitments.

The rebel faction entered into fresh peace negotiations in 2024 as part of President Gustavo Petro’s broader strategy to resolve Colombia’s six-decade internal armed conflict.