The first former president of Colombia to be found guilty of a crime is Álvaro Uribe. The 73-year-old, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, was convicted of witness tampering and fraud by a Bogotá court.
In a different inquiry investigating claims that he had connections to right-wing paramilitaries that violated human rights, he was found guilty of trying to bribe witnesses. The maximum penalty for each charge is 12 years in prison. Uribe, who has consistently insisted on his innocence, is anticipated to appeal the decision.
During his reign, Uribe is most remembered for launching a vigorous attack against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), a Marxist guerrilla group. His affiliation with right-wing paramilitaries has always been denied.
According to AFP, throughout the trial, which has seen over 90 witnesses testify, the former president sat and shook his head as the decision was announced. The court’s ruling has been denounced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has accused the nation’s judiciary of being weaponized.
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