US EditionColombia Ex-President Uribe Guilty in Bribery Trial
COLOMBIA, JUL 29 – Judge Sandra Heredia convicted Álvaro Uribe for bribery and procedural fraud, marking the first conviction of a former Colombian president amid a 13-year legal process.
- In Bogotá on Monday, Judge Sandra Heredia presided over a historic case involving Álvaro Uribe Velez, amid ongoing legal proceedings, not a final ruling.
- A long legal battle began after Uribe, with prosecutors accusing him of abuse of process and bribery since 2012, and judges twice rejecting efforts to dismiss the case.
- Heredia cited evidence that Uribe’s lawyer, Diego Cadena, offered benefits to a former paramilitary, and wiretapped 2018 calls were admitted, while a separate bribery charge was dismissed.
- Following the verdict, the National Protection Unit reinforced security for Judge Sandra Heredia, who is expected to sentence Uribe on Friday, with his lawyers planning to appeal by August 11, Granados explained.
- Amid election stakes, Rubio warned of aid cuts next year, as supporters of President Gustavo Petro view the verdict as a sign of judicial independence before the 2026 presidential election.
53 Articles
53 Articles
The conviction in the first instance of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe for the crimes of bribery in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud shakes the political landscape of the country just as an electoral year approaches.
The conviction in the first instance of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2002-2010) for bribery in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud, handed down on Tuesday by Judge 44 Penal of the Bogotá Circuit, Sandra Liliana Heredia, generated reactions this Tuesday among political leaders who called for respect for judicial institutionality. READ ALSO: Colombian Prosecutor’s Office calls for nine years of home imprisonment for Alvaro …
El Financiero
Independent EspañolÁlvaro Uribe Vélez is the first former president to be convicted in Colombia for the crimes of procedural fraud and bribery of witnesses in a first instance ruling that immediately generated a political pulse among supporters and detractors.The former president has insisted on his innocence and warned that it is a “political persecution” and his defense announced that he will appeal the sentence in court.
Uribist politicians rejected the judicial decision and described it as “the failure of infamy”, considering it arbitrary.
The court will decide this Friday whether to issue house arrest for the former president, while the ruling provides a strong boost to the presidential aspirations of Senator Iván Cepeda as the successor of Gustavo Petro Read
Analysis by Andrea Gómez, CNN en Español For the first time in Colombian history, a former president was convicted of common crimes. This Monday, Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia found Álvaro Uribe guilty of procedural fraud and bribery in criminal proceedings. What consequences could this ruling have on the 2026 electoral landscape? The decision comes within the framework of a process that has been ongoing for more than a decade. It began in 2012, …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
