Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Convicted of Witness-Tampering

A Bogotá court convicted former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe of witness-tampering and fraud, charging him with attempting to bribe witnesses in an investigation concerning alleged links to right-wing paramilitary organizations. Uribe, who served from 2002 to 2010, plans to appeal the verdict while maintaining his innocence.

In a groundbreaking legal decision, Álvaro Uribe, Colombia’s former president from 2002 to 2010, has been found guilty of witness-tampering by a court in Bogotá, marking the first time in Colombian history that an ex-president has been convicted of a crime. The 73-year-old politician was accused of attempting to bribe witnesses in an ongoing investigation into his alleged ties to right-wing paramilitary groups linked to widespread human rights abuses.

The court assessed that Uribe engaged in efforts to sway testimonies surrounding accusations of collusion with these armed groups, which have long been entrenched in Colombia’s violent political landscape. Each of the charges against him carries a steep penalty of up to 12 years in prison. Despite these serious allegations, Uribe remains adamant about his innocence and is expected to file an appeal.

Best known for his rigorous military campaign against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), Uribe has consistently denied any association with right-wing paramilitaries. Following the verdict, reports indicate that he shook his head in disbelief as the judge delivered the ruling. The trial had involved the testimony of over 90 witnesses, highlighting the complexities and challenges of Colombia’s tumultuous political past.

The conviction comes a decade after Uribe was first charged in 2012, during which he claimed that left-wing senator Ivan Cepeda was orchestrating a conspiracy to frame him in connection with paramilitary forces. The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed Uribe’s accusations against Cepeda and initiated an inquiry into his alleged misconduct. Prosecutors have presented evidence that Uribe attempted to contact imprisoned former fighters, allegedly trying to persuade them to deny their affiliations with paramilitary organizations, thus engaging in witness tampering.

The paramilitary groups in question rose to prominence in the 1980s and were originally established to combat social issues such as poverty. Their involvement in Colombia's ongoing drug trade has exacerbated conflicts over territory and resources, delivering a surge of violence that continues to impact the nation. While Uribe's administration received praise from Washington for its hardline strategies against Farc, he has remained a polarizing figure in Colombian politics, with critics arguing that his governance failed to adequately address social inequality and poverty.

In light of this landmark ruling, Uribe's supporters have rallied attention, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticizing the judicial outcome and accusing Colombia's justice system of being politically manipulated against Uribe. As tensions unfold, Colombia's political landscape faces further scrutiny as a consequence of the ex-president’s conviction and the ongoing struggles exacerbated by disarmed groups post the 2016 peace agreement with his successor.