Álvaro Uribe, who served as Colombia’s president from 2002 to 2010, has made history by becoming the first former leader in the country to be convicted of a crime. A court in Bogotá found the 73-year-old guilty of witness-tampering and fraud in an ongoing investigation concerning alleged links to right-wing paramilitary groups known for committing human rights violations. Each charge holds a penalty of up to 12 years in prison, and Uribe is anticipated to appeal the ruling while maintaining his innocence throughout the trial.
The trial has witnessed testimony from over 90 witnesses, focusing on allegations that Uribe sought to bribe key individuals to manipulate their testimonies regarding his connections to these paramilitary organizations. During his presidency, Uribe was known for his uncompromising stance against the leftist guerrilla group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and has persistently denied any involvement with the groups accused of abuses.
As the verdict was announced, Uribe reportedly shook his head in disbelief, highlighting his longstanding assertion that he had been victimized by a conspiracy led by leftist senator Ivan Cepeda. In 2012, Uribe had accused Cepeda of attempting to fabricate links between him and the paramilitaries, but the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed his allegations and opted to investigate Uribe himself.
Upon hearing the news, some of Uribe's supporters rallied outside the courthouse, reflecting the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the case. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vocalized his disapproval of the court's ruling, suggesting that Colombia's judiciary had become politicized against Uribe, claiming that the former president's sole crime was his dedication to defending the nation.
The ruling comes over a decade after Uribe was first implicated in these allegations and against a backdrop of ongoing violence and deep-seated social issues in Colombia. Despite Uribe's praise from the United States during his presidency for combating FARC, critics argue that his administration failed to effectively address widespread poverty and inequality. Following a peace agreement signed by Uribe's successor with the FARC in 2016, violence from disarmed groups continues to plague the nation.
