Former President of Colombia Alvaro Uribe, sentenced to 12 years of house arrest

Colombian former President Alvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for seasoning witnesses and charges of fraud.

The 73-year-old is the first former president in the history of the country convicted of a crime. He was also banned from public office and fined $ 578,000 ($ 435,000).

Uribe, who maintains his innocence, told a judge in Bogota that he would appeal his sentence. He said the case aims to “destroy a voice for democratic opposition.”

He has been president since 2002-2010 and has remained popular in Colombia, although he has been accused of working with right paralytic paralitis for the destruction of left rebel groups. A claim he denies.

The former president was condemned From two accusations on Monday, in a case to encourage witnesses, which has been held for about 13 years.

Two closed former Paramilitis gave evidence, saying that former Uribe lawyer Diego Kadena had offered them money to testify in favor of Uribe.

Kadena, who also faces charges, denied the allegations and testimony, along with several other former Paramilitis, on behalf of Uribe.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sentenced Uribe’s sentence, accusing Colombia’s judiciary of being armed.

“The only crime of the former president was tireless to fight and defend his homeland,” Rubio wrote on the social media website, X.

The paramilitary groups appeared in Colombia in the 1980s with the stated goal of assuming poverty and marginalization. They fought with Marxist -inspired guerrilla groups, who had struggled with the state for two decades before.

Many of the armed groups that have developed in opposition, income from cocaine trade. Deadly battles between them and the state have created permanent rivalries for trafficking in routes and resources.

Uribe was praised by Washington for his firm approach to the Farc leftist rebels was a separation politician, who critics say he did not cope with the country’s inequality and poverty a little.

The Farc signed a peace deal with Uribe’s heir in 2016, although the violence of disarmed groups continues in Colombia.