Former Colombian President Uribe sentenced to 12 years house arrest for bribery
Illustrative photo: Colombia flag (Unsplash)
Colombia's former President Álvaro Uribe has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest. He was found guilty of bribery and witness tampering, CBS News informs.
Uribe, 73, has become the first former President in Colombia's history to be convicted of a crime. He is also banned from holding public office and ordered to pay a fine of $578,000.
Uribe rejected the charges and vowed to appeal. Speaking in court in Bogotá, he accused the government of trying to "silence the voice of democratic opposition."
Álvaro Uribe served as Colombia's President from 2002 to 2010. He remains a popular figure, but his legacy deeply divides Colombian society. Uribe faces accusations of human rights violations and of collaborating with right-wing paramilitary groups to crush leftist rebel factions.
Uribe has rejected the accusations. His supporters see him as the leader who pulled Colombia back from economic and political crisis. But the court ruled in favor of the current government, dismissing Uribe's defamation lawsuit filed in 2012 and opening a criminal investigation against him in 2018.
Bolsonaro Case
Another former Latin American leader is also under investigation. Brazil's ex-President Jair Bolsonaro is facing charges at the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil. He stands accused of attempting a coup, a crime that could lead to a prison sentence.
In July, the Trump administration opened a trade investigation into Brazil, accusing the country of unfair practices and targeting Bolsonaro, a close Trump ally. The US has imposed 40% tariffs on Brazilian exports under a Trump executive order targeting Brazil's ties with Russia.
