Political violence in Colombia has been rising since 2022, but it has been largely contained at a local level. The brazen attack on a prominent politician in the capital suggests the perpetrators no longer fear repercussions.

On Saturday, a Colombian presidential candidate was shot in the head at a rally in the country’s capital, Bogotá. The violent episodehas many Colombians wondering if the country is headed back to a darker time.

The brutal assassination attempt on Colombian presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay has reopened decades-old wounds in the country. Amid grief and urgent investigations, the nation is wondering how unchecked rhetoric of hate that only breeds violence can be replaced by the defense of democracy with genuine compassion.