Ex-Colombian leader gets sentenced 12 years of house arrest
(MENAFN)
Former Colombian leader Álvaro Uribe Vélez has been placed under 12 years of house arrest following a court decision that found him guilty of procedural fraud and manipulating witnesses. The ruling, delivered by a presiding judge on Friday, also bars him from holding any public office for the next eight years and imposes a financial penalty.
Former Colombian leader Álvaro Uribe Vélez has been placed under 12 years of house arrest following a court decision that found him guilty of procedural fraud and manipulating witnesses. The ruling, delivered by a presiding judge on Friday, also bars him from holding any public office for the next eight years and imposes a financial penalty.
This verdict represents a watershed moment in Colombian legal history, marking the first occasion that a former president has been convicted and sentenced for a criminal offense. Uribe, now 73, continues to assert his innocence and insists he did not engage in any illegal activity. His legal representatives have declared their intention to challenge the verdict through the appeals process.
The origins of the case date back over a decade to a political exchange between Uribe and Senator Iván Cepeda. During that confrontation, Cepeda suggested potential connections between Uribe and paramilitary organizations in Colombia. In retaliation, Uribe accused the senator of improperly influencing testimonies from incarcerated paramilitary members in an effort to tie him to those groups.
As stated by reports, Uribe brought these accusations to the country’s highest judicial authority. However, instead of pursuing charges against Cepeda, the court began to scrutinize Uribe’s own actions. It concluded that there was evidence suggesting Uribe and his allies had attempted to interfere with or manipulate witness statements to protect his reputation and damage Cepeda's.
Legal observers indicate that if the appellate court upholds the decision, Uribe’s defense is likely to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, which initially examined the case before referring it back to the lower courts.
Uribe, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, remains a divisive figure in Colombia. He played a major role in military operations against insurgent groups, particularly the FARC, earning him both admiration and criticism. After leaving office, he continued to exert political influence, founding the Democratic Center Party and helping bring another conservative leader to power.
According to analysts, this ruling could significantly diminish Uribe’s standing in national politics and may alter the balance of power between Colombia’s political factions going forward.
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