Colombia: Former president Álvaro Uribe sentenced to 12 years of house arrest

In an unprecedented ruling in Colombia's judicial history, former President Alvaro Uribe Velez, one of the country's most influential political figures, was found guilty Friday by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia.

The charges he faces are procedural fraud and witness bribery, crimes that have resulted in a sentence of 12 years of house arrest. This verdict, accompanied by a hefty fine and a disqualification from holding public office for more than eight years, makes Uribe the first Colombian ex-president to be convicted and deprived of his freedom.

The judicial process

The judicial process that culminated in this sentence began more than a decade ago, when Uribe filed a complaint against senator Iván Cepeda, a leftist figure from the Polo Democrático Alternativo party, accusing him of manipulating testimony to link him to illicit activities. However, the Supreme Court not only dismissed that accusation, but ended up opening proceedings against Uribe himself. Thus began a long judicial battle that has been going on for more than ten years.

During his presidency between 2002 and 2010, Uribe was recognized for his "democratic security" policy, which sought to weaken the guerrillas and reestablish state control in areas affected by the conflict.

The sentence imposed by Judge Heredia includes a significant financial penalty, equivalent to more than 3.4 billion Colombian pesos, and a ban from participating in public life for more than eight years.

This aspect of the ruling has direct implications on the electoral scenario for 2026, where uribismo, as a political current, remains a relevant force, although it now faces the challenge of reconfiguring itself without its historic leader.

On his X account this Friday, in the morning hours before the conviction was made public, the former president, said:

"I usually say in my presentations on leadership and crisis management, that the most difficult crises are those of personal affectation. These personal crises need family, loved ones, friends, convinced compatriots who have supported, those far away but with objective curiosity. And you have to think much more about the solution than the problem. That is why I am in the preparation of the argumentation to support the appeal of my material defense. And fundamentally the prayer."

For its part, the Centro Democrático party, founded by Uribe, retweeted a message from ex-president Ivan Duque, who points out that the process is plagued with irregularities:

"Twenty-eight former presidents of Ibero-America and members of the Groups.

@GrupoLyD and @IDEA_Grupo, we unite to call for observance and action by international organizations regarding the process against the former president of Colombia @AlvaroUribeVel. Uribe is innocent and the process against him is plagued with irregularities that go against multiple international human rights instruments."

The defense: Appeal

The reaction of Uribe's defense was not long in coming. His lawyers immediately announced their intention to appeal the ruling, a process that will be reviewed by the Superior Court of Bogota and, if necessary, could go all the way to the Supreme Court of Justice.