Bogota, 1 August 2025.- Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was sentenced on Friday to 12 years of house arrest for suborning witnesses and procedural fraud. He became the country's first former head of State to be convicted and deprived of liberty.
Uribe, 73 years old, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010, was also banned from any public service for more than eight years, according to a judicial document confirmed by a source close to the AFP file. The official announcement of this decision is expected at 7 p.m. local time in Bogota.
The former president was found guilty of trying to influence a witness in order to avoid being linked to the far right paramilitary militias. He was also prosecuted for procedural fraud. During the hearing, he took a stand against the involvement of his family in the case, interrupting the magistrate, who replied dryly: « Can you shut up, Mr. Uribe? »reports Le Monde.
Shortly before the sentencing announcement, Uribe said on social network X that he was taking refuge with his relatives and in prayer. His defence announced his intention to appeal, denouncing a politicized decision influenced, in her view, by the power in place. The case will then be referred to the Bogotá Superior Court, which will have to rule before 16 October, otherwise the proceedings will be annulled.
This conviction is part of a broader set of investigations against Alvaro Uribe, accused of maintaining links with paramilitary squadrons responsible for crimes against civilians during the armed conflict. The investigation, opened in 2018, was marked by numerous attempts to rank.
The trial, which began in May 2024 and was broadcast live by local media, saw more than 90 witnesses marching in a tense political climate as the presidential election of May 2026 approached.
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