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Colombia’s former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez has been found guilty of witness tampering and procedural fraud, becoming the first former head of state in the country’s history to be criminally convicted.
Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia delivered the verdict on July 28 following a 13-year legal battle that has polarised Colombian politics. The 73-year-old politician was convicted on charges of abuse of process and bribery of a public official, though acquitted on a separate bribery count. Each conviction carries potential sentences of six to 12 years imprisonment, with final sentencing scheduled for August 1.
The case stems from Uribe's 2012 allegations against leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, whom he accused of orchestrating connections between him and paramilitary groups. However, Colombia's Supreme Court determined in 2018 that Uribe and associates had pressured witnesses rather than Cepeda, leading to the criminal proceedings.
The timing proves politically significant as Colombia approaches its 2026 presidential election, where several Uribe allies compete for the presidency. The former president leads the right-wing Democratic Center party and maintains considerable influence over conservative politics despite facing house arrest in 2020.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised the proceedings, calling it a "weaponisation of Colombia's judicial branch", whilst warning of potential consequences for US-Colombia relations. This intervention, which echoes recent statements and tariff threats from the Trump administration in support of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, highlights the geopolitical dimensions of a case that has divided opinion between supporters claiming political persecution and critics celebrating accountability.
The conviction represents a watershed moment for Colombian justice, particularly given Uribe's controversial role during the 2002-2010 presidency when his administration oversaw military campaigns against leftist guerrillas. Colombia's truth commission documented that paramilitary groups killed over 205,000 people during the civil conflict, groups that demobilised under agreements with Uribe's government.
The decision places Colombia alongside regional neighbours where former presidents have faced criminal convictions, including Peru's Alberto Fujimori, Argentina's Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Uribe's legal team confirmed plans to appeal, maintaining his innocence whilst requesting he remain free during proceedings. Given his age, any eventual sentence will likely be served under house arrest rather than traditional imprisonment.
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