Colombia’s influential former president, Álvaro Uribe, has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest, bringing a dramatic close to his long and polarizing political career. The 73-year-old received the maximum penalty after being convicted of witness tampering, according to a legal source who spoke with AFP.
This historic ruling, set to be officially announced on Friday, marks the first time a former Colombian president has been criminally convicted and sentenced. Uribe, who governed from 2002 to 2010, was known for his aggressive military campaigns against drug cartels and the FARC guerrilla group.
Despite accusations from critics that he collaborated with right-wing paramilitaries to crush leftist rebels, Uribe remains popular in Colombia and continues to shape conservative politics, often influencing the selection of party leaders.
The court found him guilty of pressuring paramilitary members to lie about their ties to him. On Monday, a judge convicted him on charges of witness interference and “procedural fraud.” Uribe maintains his innocence and plans to appeal.
A staunch U.S. ally with connections to American conservatives, Uribe has drawn support from figures like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, who called the prosecution politically motivated without offering evidence.
Recent polls still rank Uribe as Colombia’s most popular politician. When he was first indicted in 2019, thousands protested in Medellín and Bogotá. On Monday, a smaller group of supporters gathered outside the court wearing Uribe masks and chanting, “Uribe, innocent!”
The case, which began in 2018, saw multiple attempts to dismiss it before gaining traction under current Attorney General Luz Camargo, appointed by President Gustavo Petro—a former guerrilla and longtime political rival of Uribe.
Over 90 witnesses testified in the trial, which opened in May 2024. Prosecutors presented evidence that Uribe had contacted a former paramilitary fighter to alter his testimony.
Uribe faces other legal troubles, including an investigation into a 1997 paramilitary massacre during his time as governor of Antioquia. He is also named in a complaint filed in Argentina under universal jurisdiction laws, alleging his involvement in over 6,000 civilian killings and disappearances during his presidency.
Uribe dismisses the charges as “political revenge.”
