Former Colombia president under house arrest

Former President of Colombia and now Senator Álvaro Uribe, the most influential politician in Colombia in this century has been placed under house arrest by the country’s Supreme Court in the process that follows for the manipulation of witnesses against an opponent.

The court said in a statement  on Tuesday, August 4 that the former president (2002-2010) “will comply with the deprivation of liberty in his residence and from there he will be able to continue exercising his defense with all the guarantees of the right to due process.”

Hours before, Uribe, head of the ruling party, wrote on Twitter :

“The deprivation of my freedom causes me deep sadness for my lady, for my family and for the Colombians who still believe that I have done something good for the Homeland

Now he must wait, for his eventual call to trial by the Supreme Court, which judges him in his capacity as a legislator.

The 68-year-old who has always claimed innocence and has strong popular support behind his strong-arm policy against leftist guerrillas, could answer for bribery and procedural fraud, crimes that are punished with an average of eight years in prison.

President Iván Duque made a strong defense of his mentor and founder of the Centro Democrático party.

“I am and always will be a believer in the innocence and honor of someone who, with his example, has earned a place in the history of Colombia,” Duque said in a message broadcast on social networks.

On Tuesday, supporters of the Uribe summoned motorized caravans to protest in Bogotá, due to the mayor’s prohibition to organize marches or crowds due to the isolation measures during the pandemic.