The new Colombian attorney general starts off strong by bringing former President Álvaro Uribe to trial for alleged witness manipulation

This Tuesday, the Attorney General’s Office of Colombia reported that it will take former President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) to trial for the alleged crimes of bribery of witnesses in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud.

Prosecutor Gilberto Villarreal presented the accusation before the Supreme Court of Justice just one month after Luz Adriana Camargo became the new attorney general of Colombia. Camargo was proposed as a candidate by the current leftist president, Gustavo Petro, a historical enemy of Uribe.

“Based on the physical evidence and the material probative elements collected and studied by the office to which this file corresponded (…) a prosecutor delegated to the Supreme Court of Justice filed a document of accusation against former senator Álvaro Uribe Vélez,” the statement from the Attorney General’s Office reads.

The trial will take place at the Judicial Services Center of the Paloquemao Judicial Complex in Bogotá. In the coming days, the criminal court of the circuit to which the trial corresponds is expected to be announced, and the date and time of the hearing to formalize the accusation against former President Uribe will be officially confirmed.

It is important to highlight that the Public Ministry clarified that it will not request an arrest warrant against the former president. This means that Álvaro Uribe can defend himself freely during the trial against him.

The origin of the accusations against Uribe dates back to 2012, when Iván Cepeda, leftist senator of the Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA), pointed out Uribe’s links with paramilitary forces in the Antioquia region. Subsequently, Uribe filed a lawsuit against Cepeda for presenting false testimonies against him.

However, the plot took an unexpected turn when the Supreme Court not only refrained from prosecuting Cepeda but also initiated an investigation against the former president, accusing him of being the one who tried to manipulate witnesses to accuse Cepeda.

Later, the ProsecutorProsecutor’squested to archive the case (on two occasions), but some circuit judges denied that request and kept the process on hold until a month ago when the ProsecutorProsecutor’sanged direction and put Luz Adriana Camargo in charge.

Throughout the years, the former president has reaffirmed his innocence. However, it will be the decision of a judge that will finally determine his guilt or innocence. If found guilty, Álvaro Uribe could face a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.

“Suspicious decision”

After the statement, the economist and councilor of Medellín, Luis Guillermo Vélez, denounced how “suspicious and disturbing” the Prosecutor’s Office’s decision is, given that the same organization had previously requested the closure of the case on two occasions due to the lack of solid evidence.

“This accusation is presented in a combination of circumstances that make the actions of the ProsecutorProsecutor’specially suspicious and disturbing,” he stated, highlighting that the most recent polls show that Álvaro Uribe is the political leader with the greatest public support in the country.

Vélez also emphasized what he described as the Petro government’s“decline” and together with the recent change of prosecutor, elements that, according to him, add complexity to the current political and judicial landscape.