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Appeals Court Overturns Conviction of Colombia’s Ex-President Álvaro Uribe

Prosecutors and victims can challenge the decision before Colombia’s Supreme Court.

Overview

  • Judges said the original verdict had structural deficiencies, relied on vague premises, and lacked comprehensive analysis.
  • Uribe had been sentenced in August to 12 years of house arrest and faced an eight-year ban from public office over alleged efforts to sway jailed paramilitaries’ testimony.
  • The case traces back to a 2018 Supreme Court investigation prompted by Senator Iván Cepeda’s allegations of ties to a paramilitary group.
  • Key witness Juan Guillermo Monsalve recorded an alleged bribery attempt by Uribe’s lawyer Diego Cadena, who was separately sentenced to seven years of house arrest.
  • The decision has energized supporters and critics during an election season, and Uribe’s party says he could seek a Senate seat if allowed.