Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Sentenced to 12 Years House Arrest for Bribery and Witness Tampering

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, 73, has been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest for abuse of process and bribery of a public official, marking the first conviction of a former Colombian head of state. The ruling, delivered by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia, stems from a 13-year witness-tampering case linked to allegations of Uribe’s ties to right-wing paramilitaries. Uribe was also fined $578,000 and barred from public office for over eight years.

Uribe, who served as president from 2002 to 2010 and led military offensives against leftist guerrillas, has denied wrongdoing and vowed to appeal. He accused the judiciary of persecuting him and undermining the democratic opposition. His legal team argued the trial was politically motivated, while detractors view the conviction as long-overdue accountability for alleged paramilitary links.

The case originated from testimonies gathered by leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda, who claimed Uribe supported paramilitary groups during his tenure as Antioquia governor. Colombia’s Supreme Court later ruled Cepeda had not coerced witnesses, instead finding that Uribe’s allies had offered bribes to jailed paramilitaries to alter their statements. Former Uribe lawyer Diego Cadena is also facing related charges.

The conviction comes less than a year before Colombia’s 2026 presidential election, potentially impacting allies of Uribe’s Democratic Center party. It may also strain U.S.-Colombia relations, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling the verdict judicial “weaponization.” Paramilitary groups, which demobilized under Uribe’s government, were linked to mass atrocities during Colombia’s civil conflict, including over 200,000 killings.

Uribe’s case adds him to a list of Latin American leaders, including Alberto Fujimori and Rafael Correa, who have faced criminal convictions after leaving office.