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Appeals Court Acquits Álvaro Uribe, Overturning Bribery and Witness-Tampering Convictions

The decision cites illegal wiretaps and flawed methodology, leaving a possible path to a Supreme Court challenge.

Overview

  • Bogotá’s Superior Tribunal voted 2–1 to overturn Uribe’s convictions for bribery and procedural fraud, clearing the 73-year-old on all charges.
  • Appellate judges found insufficient proof, flagged methodological errors by the trial court, and excluded 2018 interceptions deemed illicit.
  • The August first-instance ruling had imposed 12 years of house arrest and an eight-year public-office ban, though enforcement was suspended within weeks.
  • Prosecutors and victims, including Senator Iván Cepeda, said they will seek a cassation review before Colombia’s Supreme Court.
  • President Gustavo Petro criticized the acquittal as a cover-up of paramilitary ties, while Uribe’s party signaled he could pursue a Senate bid as separate probes and an Argentine complaint continue.