Colombian former president Álvaro Uribe is sentenced to twelve years in area jail

Bogotá – Bogotá (AP) – The previous Colombian president Álvaro Uribe Vélez used to be sentenced on Friday to twelve years in jail through a pass judgement on who discovered him to blame of the Witnesses and procedural fraud crimesin an unpublished fault of first example that may be appealed through its protection.

In flip, Justice of the Peace Sandra Heredia gave her the advantage of area jail in substitute of the penalty of jail, even supposing the previous president's protection attorney had asked that he be launched whilst the ruling in the second one example of any other courtroom is anticipated.

He additionally disabled him for 8 years for the workout of public purposes and carried out a fantastic for about $ 776,000.

Warring parties of former president Álvaro Uribe meet out of doors the courtroom at the day he used to be sentenced to twelve years of area arrest for the manipulation of witnesses and bribery in Bogotá, Colombia, on Friday, August 1, 2025.

(Fernando Vergara/AP)

Uribe, who dominated between 2002 and 2010, declared he Case is a “political persecution.”

“To sentence the coverage on legislation predominated,” stated Uribe, attached just about after the sentence. He added that all over the trial the pass judgement on expressed animosity in opposition to him and his circle of relatives appearing “a bias.”

The pass judgement on concluded on Monday – when he introduced the sentence however with out the penalty – that Uribe instigated a attorney to govern 3 exparamilitaries with provides of cash or prison advantages to claim in his desire and deny any alleged hyperlink of the previous president with the ones unlawful teams. Then again, he acquitted him for a case of bribery to a former prisoner convicted of corruption.

Hours ahead of studying the Uribe sentence he wrote at the social community X that he used to be making ready the argument to enhance his enchantment. He stated that during instances of disaster you need to “assume a lot more in regards to the resolution than in the issue.”

The Prosecutor's Place of work – which accused him within the procedure – had asked a penalty of 9 years, whilst the protection asked that he may proceed to shield himself as he waits for the second one example ruling.

The pass judgement on justified that the house arrest warrant is because of the truth that the protection displayed dilatory methods within the trial, added that the previous president “is simple to depart the rustic to” steer clear of the sanction imposed “and that his deprivation of liberty is vital to make sure the” non violent coexistence “amongst electorate.

“To mention that they should limit my freedom to steer clear of violence is to trace that I put it on the market,” Uribe refuted ahead of the pass judgement on, including that “such accusations has left many martyrs in Colombia” because the senator and candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay, who’s in crucial state after being shot in June all over a political fable.

The 2nd Example Court docket could have a closing date to factor its ruling till the start of October, when the prison procedure will prescribe. The brand new ruling could also be increased through the events in an extra enchantment to the Preferrred Court docket, which could have the ultimate.

Reactions to the condemnation

The previous president, chief of the Democratic Heart Celebration, continues to generate a marked admiration between part of the inhabitants that defends their political legacy and a powerful rejection in any other that signifies it of getting allowed critical violations of human rights as extrajudicial executions, in order that the Failure in opposition to him generated a political pulse.

Warring parties of former president Álvaro Uribe cling protest posters out of doors the courtroom at the day he used to be sentenced to twelve years of area arrest for dealing with of witnesses and bribery in Bogotá, Colombia, on Friday, August 1, 2025.

(Fernando Vergara/AP)

“It’s an unfair conviction. He merits to be unfastened, has now not harm, all they are saying is lies,” stated the Related Press Martha Peñuela Rosales, a militant of the Uribe birthday party who heard the sentence within the courtroom of Bogotá. “In my area I prayed, I cried, I advised the Lord 'You’re the king, you’re simply and you already know what they’re doing,” stated the 65 -year -old girl.

However, Sergio Andrés Parra, who demonstrated at the outskirts of the Court docket in opposition to Uribe, advised the AP that 12 years of area arrest “is sufficient” and, even though interesting, “the tale has already been convicted.” Then again, he regretted that the sentence has been for manipulation of witnesses and now not for alleged hyperlinks with paramilitarism.

The case started in 2012 when the Left senator Iván Cepeda denounced in Congress Uribe's alleged hyperlinks with paramilitary teams, which the previous president has at all times denied, so he made up our minds to call for for defamation to Cepeda.

The Preferrred Court docket closed in 2018 the case in opposition to Cepeda and, in an sudden flip, opened one in opposition to Uribe to analyze whether or not the previous president used to be seeking to manipulate witnesses to claim in his desire.

The ex -president spent two months in area arrest in 2020 through order of the Preferrred Court docket of Justice whilst advancing the investigation in opposition to him. Then again, he regained freedom when Uribe – then senator – resigned from his seat in Congress and the prison court cases went to the Prosecutor's Place of work, which years later ended up officially accusing him beginning the trial wherein he used to be convicted.