MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bogotá court finds Uribe guilty of bribery

The rightwing leader became the first former head of State ever to be convicted

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez was found guilty Monday of witness tampering and procedural fraud, making him the first former head of state in the country to be convicted of a crime. The 73-year-old right-wing politician, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, was accused of attempting to bribe and pressure imprisoned paramilitaries to retract or alter their testimonies linking him to illegal armed groups.

Judge Sandra Heredia of the 44th Criminal Circuit Court of Bogotá stated that “the first bribery charge in criminal proceedings regarding the materiality of the punishable conduct has been proven,” for which Uribe faces up to 12 years in prison. The prolonged legal process began in 2012 when Uribe initially sued leftist Congressman Iván Cepeda for allegedly seeking prisoners to accuse him. However, the investigation's focus shifted in 2018 to Uribe himself.

The judge validated key evidence, including cell phone interceptions of Uribe and recordings made by former military officer Juan Guillermo Monsalve (a prisoner) with a spy watch during conversations with Uribe's former defense attorney, Diego Cadena. The purpose of Cadena's visits was to allegedly offer Monsalve assistance in exchange for not testifying against Uribe regarding his alleged links to paramilitaries and to discredit Cepeda of the ruling Pacto Histórico coalition of President Gustavo Petro.

Uribe, a highly influential figure in Colombian politics known for his tough stance against guerrillas, has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming the trial is politically motivated by his opponents.

Monday's guilty verdict represents a significant blow to the conservative right in Colombia ahead of the 2026 presidential elections.

Outside the court, supporters of the former president wore masks with his face on them and shouted “Uribe is innocent,” while opponents called for him to be jailed after resigning from the Senate in 2020, thus losing his parliamentary immunity.