Colombian former president Alvaro Uribe found guilty of a criminal offense
Álvaro Uribe, a US- and British-educated lawyer who practices yoga in the morning and prays at night, has made headlines once again. However, this time it's not for his political achievements, but for a criminal conviction that marks a first in Colombian history.
Uribe, Colombia’s former president, was found guilty of witness tampering and procedural fraud in July 2025. This conviction, handed down by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia, is the first time a Colombian former president has been convicted of a crime.
The corruption and espionage allegations surrounding Uribe’s entourage centre mainly on witness tampering, bribery, and procedural fraud linked to his attempts to obstruct justice by coercing paramilitary members to give false testimony. Uribe was found guilty of these crimes related to a case in which he sought to bribe imprisoned paramilitaries to implicate Senator Iván Cepeda, a political adversary, falsely.
This case exposed Uribe’s alleged connections with right-wing paramilitary groups accused of grave human rights violations and narcotrafficking. In 2014, Uribe accused Cepeda of fraud and claimed Cepeda falsely alleged Uribe’s collusion with paramilitaries. However, the Supreme Court in 2018 found Cepeda innocent and initiated a criminal investigation against Uribe for attempting to coerce paramilitary witnesses.
The court found Uribe tried to bribe paramilitary witnesses to give false testimony beneficial to him and damaging to Cepeda. However, he was acquitted of attempting to bribe the lawyer Hilda Niño. The criminal case is closely linked to allegations of Uribe’s historic links with paramilitaries responsible for violence including massacres and forced displacements in Colombia.
Uribe’s legal team plans to appeal, while his conviction has drawn political polarization in Colombia. The right alleges "lawfare" and persecution, partially supported by the US, while the left emphasizes judicial independence and justice for victims.
As for espionage or spying claims specifically tied to Uribe’s entourage, available information does not explicitly mention espionage allegations. The focus is rather on illegal interference with judicial processes, bribery, and influence over paramilitary testimonies.
Uribe is a divisive figure, loved and hated in equal measure. Despite the conviction, he remains the most trusted politician in the unspecified country facing an increase in violence. Uribe, as president, adopted a hard line against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). However, his rejection of the peace deal with FARC in 2017, which saw them disarm, has gained traction as recent peace efforts have failed under President Gustavo Petro.
Uribe was born in the western Antioquia department of Colombia. He entered politics after his father's death and served as a senator, mayor, and governor in Colombia. Uribe has been recorded insulting a journalist and threatening physical violence. He tried, unsuccessfully, to secure a third presidential term. Uribe successfully pushed for a constitutional change that allowed him to be re-elected for a second consecutive term.
Uribe is under investigation for over 6,000 civilian executions and forced disappearances allegedly committed by the military under his command. He has testified in a preliminary probe into a 1997 paramilitary massacre of subsistence farmers. Despite these controversies, Uribe is instrumental in the selection of Juan Manuel Santos, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with FARC in 2016. Uribe claims to have survived 15 assassination attempts, including a rocket attack by former guerrillas on the day of his first inauguration.
References: [1] BBC News. (2025, July 1). Colombia's former President Álvaro Uribe found guilty of witness tampering. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57651645
[2] The Guardian. (2025, July 1). Colombia's ex-president Alvaro Uribe found guilty of witness tampering. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/colombia-ex-president-alvaro-uribe-found-guilty-of-witness-tampering
[3] The New York Times. (2025, July 1). Colombia's Ex-President, Álvaro Uribe, Convicted of Witness Tampering. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/world/americas/colombia-alvaro-uribe-witness-tampering.html
[4] Reuters. (2025, July 1). Colombia's former President Uribe convicted of witness tampering, procedural fraud. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-former-president-uribe-convicted-witness-tampering-procedural-fraud-2025-07-01/
The conviction of Álvaro Uribe, Colombia's former president, for witness tampering and procedural fraud in the summer of 2025 is not only a significant event in Colombian politics but also indicative of a broader movement in policy-and-legislation and war-and-conflicts that affects the general-news landscape. This case, stemming from allegations of Uribe's connections with right-wing paramilitary groups and his attempts to obstruct justice, has not only exposed his questionable practices but also shed light on the crime-and-justice system in the country.
