This was the first day of the wake for Senator and pre-candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay: the wait to say a final goodbye.

On July 20, 2024, Miguel Uribe Turbay took to the lectern in the elliptical chamber of Congress, where the House meets, to deliver his speech representing the opposition at the opening of Congress. A little over a year later, the House chamber held his funeral, and that same lectern was filled with floral arrangements to bid farewell to the Democratic Center congressman. A large-format photo of the honoree was also displayed.

The coffin will lie in state for a total of three days , as decreed by Congress. On the first day, waiting was the common denominator, along with the expressions of grief and sadness expressed by those close to the senator at various times.

In the morning, it was reported that the farewell ceremonies would officially begin at 3:00 p.m. The casket was expected to arrive at the National Capitol in the afternoon. The time was successively changed: first it was 4:00 p.m., then 5:00 p.m., and at one point, a time was no longer given.

The reason for the delay was that the Medical Examiner's Office took more than nine hours to perform all the tests on the body. It wasn't until around four in the afternoon that the body was transferred to the funeral home for its proper preparation.

Meanwhile, those close to the deceased senator were arriving in the House session hall. One of the first to arrive was former Senator David Luna. At first, he preferred to remain silent, then spoke briefly, saying that the electoral issue was taking a backseat at this time when the country must seek symbols of unity.

Then, Uribe supporters began arriving, such as Councilman Andrés Barrios , who was one of those who stood with Miguel Uribe at the time of the attack. Given the sadness of the moment, they decided to avoid the microphones. Former Uribe minister Fabio Valencia Cossio also did the same. One of the few who stopped to speak was Representative Christian Garcés , who limited himself to saying that Miguel Uribe's death should serve to unite the country against drug trafficking, the scourge that finances the country's violence.

Julio César Turbay Quintero, Miguel Uribe's uncle and brother of Diana Turbay, who was murdered by drug trafficking, spoke initially on behalf of the family. "We must fight to avoid hatred and fight for peace and understanding. Let's put aside the inflammatory rhetoric, let's put aside the call for confrontation," were the words of the former congressman.

Figures such as former President César Gaviria , head of the Liberal Party, and his son, Simón Gaviria , also arrived through the main entrance. Both preferred to keep quiet and not speak. A video circulated beforehand in which the former Colombian president from 1990 to 1994 pointed out that the assassination of the Uribe senator was an example of the failure of this administration's security policy.

Instead, all those who did not want to be recorded by the press entered through the side door, including the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Colombia, John McNamara. Most of those present also entered an elliptical hall that was filled to far more than its maximum capacity when the full Congress meets for special sessions.

Around 6 p.m., María Claudia Tarazona, Miguel Uribe's wife, arrived with her two daughters. She asked for a moment to speak to the press. Despite the obvious pain reflected on her face, she even made a strong plea to the press to let her speak and not endanger her safety.

I reject any act of violence or revenge for Miguel's death. To honor him, there must be only love in our hearts.

“I reject any act of violence or revenge for Miguel’s death. To honor him, there must only be love in our hearts,” said Tarazona, who called for justice to clarify the crime against her partner. In that same message, she recalled that they not only lost Miguel Uribe the politician, but also his closest circle lost “the one who sings, the one who plays chess, the one who plays the piano, the one who composes songs, the one who dedicated his life with love and dedication to Alejandro, my daughters, and me.”

The rest of the attendees arrived in the Elliptical Hall. One of the last to arrive was former President Juan Manuel Santos and his wife, María Clemencia Rodríguez. Upon arriving in the Elliptical Hall, he immediately went to the front to offer his condolences to the family. He hugged his wife and his father, Miguel Uribe Londoño, who was one of those who preferred to avoid the press.

While the body was being awaited , various murmurs filled the chamber, similar to what happens during House sessions. However, around 8:45 p.m., the House protocol officer, Plinio Ordoñez, announced that the coffin would arrive in 15 minutes. The chamber fell silent until Ordoñez himself announced that the body was entering the Capitol, which had been his "second home" for almost three years.

Police officers were in charge of escorting the coffin to the front of the elliptical hall. They were relieved by four members of the Presidential Guard Battalion. Each took up positions at their respective corners. The funeral procession ended, and the person in charge of protocol began: "We begin the tribute and honors to a patriot who gave his life for Colombia."

She gave way to Senator Ana Paola Agudelo, Vice President of the Senate , who spoke on behalf of Lidio Turbay, who was unable to arrive in time for the ceremony. “We bid farewell to a senator and a colleague in this, his second home. He leaves a void in our hearts; his loss is irreparable, not only for Congress but for all of Colombia,” declared the senator from Mira, who repeatedly referred to faith in God and the need to cling to him in the difficult times the country faces: “Miguel is with our God; death is only an instant, and we pass on to eternal life. And that is a great reason for us to continue seeking God.” She was followed by the Speaker of the House, Julián López, who was officially in charge of placing the funeral wreath.

Father Juan Diego Cadena was given the floor: "All Colombians can say that Miguel is ours." He then invited everyone present to pray a "Neutral Father" and for each person present to wish peace to their loved ones. The head of protocol again called for a minute of silence. The funeral march played again, and the ceremony, which lasted less than an hour, concluded. Following this, some of those present left the premises, while others proceeded to embrace the widow and the rest of the family. It was clear that the only representatives of the Petro government who were present were the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, and the director of the Dapre (National Police of Presidency), Angie Rodríguez. The first day of mourning ended with palpable sadness and a message that political violence must be eradicated once and for all from national events.