Nydia Quintero, former first lady of Colombia and grandmother of Miguel Uribe Turbay, passes away

Bogotá.- The former first lady of Colombia, Nydia Quintero, passed away this Monday in Bogotá at the age of 93, and will be mourned starting this afternoon at the National Capitol, headquarters of Congress, as reported by the President of the Senate, Efraín Cepeda.

"As a tribute to the great contribution she made to the country and the invaluable legacy from the Solidaridad por Colombia Foundation, which has given well-being to millions of Colombians, doña Nydia Quintero will be veiled in a state funeral at the National Capitol," Cepeda wrote on X. The Senate leader added that, in this way, all Colombians will be able to "say goodbye to her as she deserves and accompany her family from today at 4:00 pm (21:00 GMT) in the elliptical hall". The death of the former first lady, grandmother of Senator and presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay —seriously injured in an attack on June 7 during a campaign event in Bogotá— was confirmed this morning by her family.

Quintero, who was married to the liberal president Julio César Turbay, who governed Colombia between 1978 and 1982, had been hospitalized on Friday for a respiratory condition at the Santa Fe Foundation in the Colombian capital, where Uribe Turbay has been fighting for his life for more than 20 days.

You may be interested in: Senator Uribe Turbay experiences improvement and his critical condition is reduced, according to medical report

In his publication, Cepeda highlighted that "doña Nydia Quintero leaves an indelible mark as a former first lady and leader of the Solidarity for Colombia Foundation," dedicated to promoting education programs from early childhood, as well as helping senior citizens and vulnerable families. The wake for Quintero in the Capitol, which today displays the national flag at half-mast, was also confirmed by the foundation, which reported that the space will be open until Wednesday, July 2nd at 10:00 local time (15:00 GMT). The last time someone was laid in state in the elliptical hall of the Capitol was in September 2023, after the death of the painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, the Colombian artist most celebrated for his voluptuous works.

Colombia Reacts to His Death  

The death of Quintero was lamented this morning by several Colombian politicians and former presidents, who praised his "example of life" and expressed their solidarity with the family of the former first lady.

Former President Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018) said he received "with deep sadness the news of the death of Doña Nydia, a wonderful, generous woman committed to Colombia."

Con profunda tristeza recibimos la noticia del fallecimiento de Doña Nydia. Una mujer maravillosa, generosa y comprometida con Colombia. Deja un legado de dignidad, servicio y cariño que será recordado por siempre. Nuestra solidaridad con toda su familia.

— Juan Manuel Santos (@JuanManSantos) June 30, 2025

"Leave a legacy of dignity, service and affection that will always be remembered. Our solidarity with all his family," wrote Santos on X. Former President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) stated that the former first lady was "an example of life, of service to the neediest" and that "the permanent action of her life was solidarity". "It adds to my sadness to think of the suffering of doña Nydia for the attack on Miguel, whom she had by her side since the vile murder of Diana. Solidarity dear family", expressed the former president, referring to Diana Turbay —daughter of Quintero and mother of Miguel Uribe Turbay—, who was kidnapped in 1990 by drug traffickers from the Medellin cartel and murdered in January 1991. The former president added: "I confess that I write these lines with the effort to hold back tears that flood my heart." Likewise, former President Iván Duque (2018-2022) highlighted Quintero's role as an "exemplary first lady and a woman who dedicated her life to serving others."

Toda mi solidaridad a la familia Turbay Quintero y a todos los seres queridos de doña Nydia Quintero. Fue una primera dama ejemplar y una mujer que dedicó su vida a servir a los demás, como fundadora y líder de la Fundación Solidaridad por Colombia, hoy liderada brillantemente… pic.twitter.com/i6SfTV48Sg

— Iván Duque 🇨🇴 (@IvanDuque) June 30, 2025

"Nydia Quintero was a symbol of generosity, dedication, empathy and affection for the most needy. We will always remember her legacy, and she will always be a benchmark of love for Colombia," said Duque, who also asked "God to allow the prompt recovery of Miguel Uribe Turbay." His legacy was also highlighted by several ministers of the government of the leftist president, Gustavo Petro, including the foreign minister, Laura Sarabia, and the Minister of Labor, Antonio Sanguino, as well as the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán.