Colombian former President Álvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest after being found guilty of witness tampering and fraud, a pivotal moment in Colombia's political landscape as he becomes the first former president in the nation’s history to be criminally convicted. The 73-year-old Uribe, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, has been barred from holding public office and ordered to pay a fine of approximately $578,000 (£435,000).
Uribe, who insists on his innocence, criticized the legal proceedings as an attempt to "destroy a voice for the democratic opposition." He has announced plans to appeal the conviction, which stems from a case involving accusations that his former lawyer, Diego Cadena, offered bribes to jailed ex-paramilitary members to secure favorable testimony for Uribe.
The accusations against Uribe, who still commands a significant following in Colombia despite his controversial legacy—particularly allegations of collusion with right-wing paramilitaries against leftist guerilla groups—have ignited fierce political debates. Critics argue that he exacerbated inequalities while failing to address the underlying issues faced by marginalized communities in Colombia.
The reaction to Uribe's conviction has been mixed; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed strong support for Uribe, labeling the judicial actions as politically motivated and claiming the former president's "only crime" was his commitment to defending Colombia. The backdrop of Uribe's presidency included a hard-line approach to leftist rebels, particularly the Farc movement, which signed a peace agreement with Uribe's successor in 2016, although violence from other disarmed factions continues to plague the country.
The case against Uribe illustrates the deep divisions and complexities of Colombia's political landscape, where issues of state violence, drug trafficking, and social inequality remain central to the ongoing narratives that shape the nation's future.
