Latest news with #witness tampering
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Colombia ex-President Alvaro Uribe found guilty in landmark bribery trial
Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has been found guilty of witness tampering and bribery in a landmark trial, becoming the country's first ex-president to ever be found guilty at trial. Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia ruled on Monday that there was enough evidence to determine that Uribe, 73, conspired with a lawyer to coax three former members of paramilitary groups who were in prison into changing testimony they had provided to Ivan Cepeda, a left-wing senator who had launched an investigation into Uribe's alleged ties to a paramilitary group in the 1990s. The case dates to 2012, when Uribe filed a libel suit against Cepeda with the Supreme Court. But in a twist, the high court dismissed the charges against Cepeda and began investigating Uribe in 2018. Uribe faces up to 12 years in prison, but a sentencing will be delivered in a separate hearing on Friday. He is expected to appeal the ruling. Uribe's critics have celebrated his trial as the deserved downfall of a man repeatedly accused of close relationships with violent right-wing paramilitaries, but never convicted of any crime. The former leader, 73, and his supporters say the process is a persecution and that he is innocent. Uribe and one of his lawyers, Jaime Granados, joined the hearing via videolink, while another lawyer, Jaime Lombana, appeared in person. 'This is not the end of this process, the appeal is next and we are going to demonstrate that this decision, which we respect, is wrong,' lawyer Juan Felipe Amaya, part of Uribe's legal team, told journalists at the court. Granados told the hearing that the presumption of Uribe's innocence should be maintained and asked for him to remain free during the remainder of the process. Both detractors and supporters gathered outside the court, with some Uribe backers sporting masks of his face. Even if the conviction is eventually upheld, Uribe may be allowed to serve his final sentence on house arrest because of his age. Uribe's trial triggered criticism from United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Uribe had a close relationship with the US during his two terms as president between 2002 and 2010, as right-wing governments in Latin America have often had. 'Uribe's only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland. The weaponisation of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent,' Rubio said on X. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a leftist, defended the ruling, writing on X that 'a strong justice system' will enable Colombia to emerge from violence. He added in another message that Rubio was interfering with Colombia's sovereignty. 'A decision against the ex-president could generate some kind of reprisal by the government of the United States,' Banco de Bogota said in a note on Monday, referring to a proposal by US Republican lawmaker Mario Diaz-Balart to cut non-military aid to Colombia next year, partly on concerns of due process violations in the Uribe case. Uribe, who was placed under house arrest for two months in 2020, is head of the powerful Democratic Centre party and was a senator for years both before and after his presidency. He has repeatedly emphasised that he extradited paramilitary leaders to the US. Colombia's truth commission says paramilitary groups, which demobilised under deals with Uribe's government, killed more than 205,000 people, nearly half of the 450,000 deaths recorded during the ongoing civil conflict. In recent decades, right-wing paramilitary groups across Latin America – backed by the US – along with the armed forces of allied governments, have been responsible not only for killings, but also for forced disappearances, sexual violence, mass displacement, and other grave human rights abuses.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Former Colombian President Uribe found guilty in bribery trial that threatens the strongman's legacy
BOGOTA: Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was convicted of witness tampering and bribery Monday in a historic trial that gripped the South American nation and threatened to tarnish the conservative strongman's legacy. The ruling followed a nearly six-month trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that Uribe attempted to influence witnesses who accused the law-and-order leader of having links to a paramilitary group founded by ranchers in the 1990s. Uribe, 73, was not in court in the capital, Bogota, for the verdict as the judge has so far not ordered his arrest. He followed the ruling from his home outside Medellin but did not immediately speak about it. Uribe faces up to 12 years in prison but a sentencing will be delivered in a separate hearing. He is expected to appeal the ruling. The former president, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States, is a polarizing figure in Colombia, where many credit him for saving the country from becoming a failed state, while others associate him with human rights violations and the rise of paramilitary groups in the 1990s. While the ruling was read, Uribe's opponents clashed briefly with his supporters outside the courthouse. In a ruling that lasted more than 10 hours, Judge Sandra Heredia said there was enough evidence to determine that Uribe conspired with a lawyer to coax three former members of paramilitary groups who were in prison into changing testimony they had provided to Ivan Cepeda, a left-wing senator who had launched an investigation into Uribe's alleged ties to a paramilitary group. The case dates to 2012, when Uribe filed a libel suit against Cepeda with the Supreme Court. But in a twist, the high court dismissed the charges against Cepeda and began investigating Uribe in 2018. During Uribe's presidency, Colombia's military attained some of its biggest battlefield victories against Latin America's oldest leftist insurgency, pushing the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia into remote pockets and forcing the group's leadership into peace talks that led to the disarmament of more than 13,000 fighters in 2016. Known for his tireless work ethic and short temper, Uribe still has legions of followers in Colombia and is one of the fiercest opponents of the current president, former leftist guerrilla Gustavo Petro. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted to the ruling, as it became evident that Judge Heredia was going to find the former president guilty of bribery. 'Uribe's only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland' Rubio wrote on Monday on X. 'The weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent.' Colombian President Gustavo Petro defended the ruling, writing on X that 'a strong justice system' will enable Colombia to emerge from violence. He added in another message that Rubio was interfering with Colombia's sovereignty. 'The world must respect the judges of Colombia' Petro wrote. Heredia said that her ruling should not be interpreted as 'a victory for anyone' but as 'an act of justice.' Critics also blame Uribe for state crimes. According to a truth commission created in 2017, more than 6,400 civilians were executed by the Colombian military and identified as members of rebel groups by soldiers seeking promotions during the conflict, in a phenomenon that peaked during the Uribe administration. Prosecutors accused Uribe of sending lawyers to meet with imprisoned former paramilitary henchmen and pressure them to drop testimony that they had provided to Senator Cepeda. During the trial, Uribe denied trying to flip witnesses but acknowledged seeking interviews with the men as part of his preparation for trial and to verify testimonies that were also being used in a murder trial against his brother, Santiago Uribe, who was also accused of ties to the armed paramilitaries. Cepeda spoke to journalists after the ruling, and said that he would continue to fight for 'truth and justice' for victims of Colombia's conflict. 'No one can defy and taint the rule of law,' he said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Colombian President Uribe found guilty in bribery trial that threatens the strongman's legacy
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was convicted of witness tampering and bribery Monday in a historic trial that gripped the South American nation and threatened to tarnish the conservative strongman's legacy. The ruling followed a nearly six-month trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that Uribe attempted to influence witnesses who accused the law-and-order leader of having links to a paramilitary group founded by ranchers in the 1990s. Uribe, 73, was not in court in the capital, Bogota, for the verdict as the judge has so far not ordered his arrest. He followed the ruling from his home outside Medellin but did not immediately speak about it. Uribe faces up to 12 years in prison but a sentencing will be delivered in a separate hearing. He is expected to appeal the ruling. The former president, who governed from 2002 to 2010 with strong support from the United States, is a polarizing figure in Colombia, where many credit him for saving the country from becoming a failed state, while others associate him with human rights violations and the rise of paramilitary groups in the 1990s. While the ruling was read, Uribe's opponents clashed briefly with his supporters outside the courthouse. In a ruling that lasted more than 10 hours, Judge Sandra Heredia said there was enough evidence to determine that Uribe conspired with a lawyer to coax three former members of paramilitary groups who were in prison into changing testimony they had provided to Ivan Cepeda, a left-wing senator who had launched an investigation into Uribe's alleged ties to a paramilitary group. The case dates to 2012, when Uribe filed a libel suit against Cepeda with the Supreme Court. But in a twist, the high court dismissed the charges against Cepeda and began investigating Uribe in 2018. During Uribe's presidency, Colombia's military attained some of its biggest battlefield victories against Latin America's oldest leftist insurgency, pushing the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia into remote pockets and forcing the group's leadership into peace talks that led to the disarmament of more than 13,000 fighters in 2016. Known for his tireless work ethic and short temper, Uribe still has legions of followers in Colombia and is one of the fiercest opponents of the current president, former leftist guerrilla Gustavo Petro. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacted to the ruling, as it became evident that Judge Heredia was going to find the former president guilty of bribery. 'Uribe's only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland' Rubio wrote on Monday on X. 'The weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent.' Colombian President Gustavo Petro defended the ruling, writing on X that 'a strong justice system' will enable Colombia to emerge from violence. He added in another message that Rubio was interfering with Colombia's sovereignty. 'The world must respect the judges of Colombia" Petro wrote. Heredia said that her ruling should not be interpreted as 'a victory for anyone' but as 'an act of justice.' Critics also blame Uribe for state crimes. According to a truth commission created in 2017, more than 6,400 civilians were executed by the Colombian military and identified as members of rebel groups by soldiers seeking promotions during the conflict, in a phenomenon that peaked during the Uribe administration. Prosecutors accused Uribe of sending lawyers to meet with imprisoned former paramilitary henchmen and pressure them to drop testimony that they had provided to Senator Cepeda. During the trial, Uribe denied trying to flip witnesses but acknowledged seeking interviews with the men as part of his preparation for trial and to verify testimonies that were also being used in a murder trial against his brother, Santiago Uribe, who was also accused of ties to the armed paramilitaries. Cepeda spoke to journalists after the ruling, and said that he would continue to fight for 'truth and justice" for victims of Colombia's conflict. 'No one can defy and taint the rule of law,' he said. ___ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at Astrid Suarez And Manuel Rueda, The Associated Press
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Colombia's ex-president Uribe convicted in landmark witness tampering case
A Colombian court on Monday found Alvaro Uribe guilty of witness tampering, making him the South American country's first ex-president to be convicted of a crime. The 73-year-old -- who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010 -- was found guilty of asking right-wing paramilitaries to lie about their alleged links to him. As the judge started reading out her verdict Monday, Uribe -- who attended the trial virtually -- sat shaking his head. The still-powerful ex-president is expected to hear his sentence on Friday. He risks 12 years in prison. The judgement brought rapid condemnation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who decried "the weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges." A law-and-order hardliner, Uribe was a close ally of the United States and retains close ties to the American right. At home his popularity has waned as alleged rights abuses during his tenure have come to light. Even before the ruling and Rubio's high-profile attack, a Colombian lawyers' guild asked for more protection for Judge Sandra Heredia, who is presiding over this case. Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro shot back at Rubio's criticism and insisted the judiciary was independent. Allegations "to the contrary were an insult that would not be tolerated", he said. Dirty war Paramilitary groups emerged in the 1980s in Colombia to fight Marxist guerrillas that had taken up arms against the state. A plethora of armed groups that emerged in the standoff adopted cocaine as their main source of income -- the genesis of a deadly rivalry for resources and trafficking routes that continues to this day. Uribe led a relentless military campaign against drug cartels and the FARC guerrilla army, which signed a peace deal with his successor Juan Manuel Santos in 2016 -- much to Uribe's chagrin. After leftist senator Ivan Cepeda accused him of ties with paramilitary groups responsible for human rights violations, Uribe is alleged to have contacted jailed ex-fighters to lie for him. The judge Monday found him guilty on two charges: interfering with witnesses and "procedural fraud." Popular politician Uribe remains popular in Colombia for his anti-FARC campaigns, and is still a prominent voice on the right. Recent opinion polls revealed him to be the South American country's best loved politician. In 2019, thousands protested in Bogota and Medellin when he was indicted in the case, and on Monday, a smaller group of followers gathered outside the court wearing masks fashioned after his image and chanting: "Uribe, innocent!" They clashed with a group of critics. The investigation against Uribe began in 2018 and has had numerous twists and turns, with several attorneys-general seeking to close the case. It gained new impetus under Attorney General Luz Camargo, picked by Petro -- himself a former guerrilla and a political arch-foe of Uribe. More than 90 witnesses testified in the trial, which opened in May 2024. Prosecutors produced evidence during the trial of least one paramilitary ex-fighter who said he was contacted by Uribe to change his story. 'Vengeance' The former president is also under investigation in other matters. He has testified before prosecutors in a preliminary probe into a 1997 paramilitary massacre of farmers when he was governor of the western Antioquia department. A complaint has also been filed against him in Argentina, where universal jurisdiction allows for the prosecution of crimes committed anywhere in the world. That complaint stems from Uribe's alleged involvement in the more than 6,000 executions and forced disappearances of civilians by the military when he was president. Uribe insists his trial is a product of "political vengeance."
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Colombian ex-president Uribe guilty of witness tampering
A Colombian court on Monday found Alvaro Uribe guilty of witness tampering, making him the South American country's first ex-president to be convicted of a crime. The 73-year-old -- who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010 -- was found guilty of asking right-wing paramilitaries to lie about their alleged links to him. As the judge started reading out her verdict Monday, Uribe -- who attended the trial virtually -- sat shaking his head. The still-powerful ex-president is expected to hear his sentence on Friday. He risks 12 years in prison. The judgement brought rapid condemnation from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who decried "the weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges." A law-and-order hardliner, Uribe was a close ally of the United States and retains close ties to the American right. At home his popularity has waned as alleged rights abuses during his tenure have come to light. Even before the ruling and Rubio's high-profile attack, a Colombian lawyers' guild asked for more protection for Judge Sandra Heredia, who is presiding over this case. Colombia's leftist President Gustavo Petro shot back at Rubio's criticism and insisted the judiciary was independent. Allegations "to the contrary were an insult that would not be tolerated", he said. - Dirty war - Paramilitary groups emerged in the 1980s in Colombia to fight Marxist guerrillas that had taken up arms against the state. A plethora of armed groups that emerged in the standoff adopted cocaine as their main source of income -- the genesis of a deadly rivalry for resources and trafficking routes that continues to this day. Uribe led a relentless military campaign against drug cartels and the FARC guerrilla army, which signed a peace deal with his successor Juan Manuel Santos in 2016 -- much to Uribe's chagrin. After leftist senator Ivan Cepeda accused him of ties with paramilitary groups responsible for human rights violations, Uribe is alleged to have contacted jailed ex-fighters to lie for him. The judge Monday found him guilty on two charges: interfering with witnesses and "procedural fraud." - Popular politician - Uribe remains popular in Colombia for his anti-FARC campaigns, and is still a prominent voice on the right. Recent opinion polls revealed him to be the South American country's best loved politician. In 2019, thousands protested in Bogota and Medellin when he was indicted in the case, and on Monday, a smaller group of followers gathered outside the court wearing masks fashioned after his image and chanting: "Uribe, innocent!" They clashed with a group of critics. The investigation against Uribe began in 2018 and has had numerous twists and turns, with several attorneys-general seeking to close the case. It gained new impetus under Attorney General Luz Camargo, picked by Petro -- himself a former guerrilla and a political arch-foe of Uribe. More than 90 witnesses testified in the trial, which opened in May 2024. Prosecutors produced evidence during the trial of least one paramilitary ex-fighter who said he was contacted by Uribe to change his story. - 'Vengeance' - The former president is also under investigation in other matters. He has testified before prosecutors in a preliminary probe into a 1997 paramilitary massacre of farmers when he was governor of the western Antioquia department. A complaint has also been filed against him in Argentina, where universal jurisdiction allows for the prosecution of crimes committed anywhere in the world. That complaint stems from Uribe's alleged involvement in the more than 6,000 executions and forced disappearances of civilians by the military when he was president. Uribe insists his trial is a product of "political vengeance."
