Spanish
Judge 44 of the Criminal Court of Bogotá, Sandra Liliana Heredia Aranda, determined this Monday that the former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) is criminally responsible for the crime of bribery of witnesses in criminal proceedings, as was known in a hearing that lasted six hours. The decision is situated in the context of a process initiated in 2012 and in which other accusations are also under discussion, such as procedural fraud.
The 73-year-old right-wing politician was accused of pressuring and paying imprisoned paramilitaries to change testimonies that implicated him
The magistrate pointed out that Uribe, founder and honorary president of the Democratic Center party, offered benefits through emissaries to persons deprived of their liberty, in order to favor his own judicial processes. In particular, the judge stated that through his lawyer Diego Cadena, the former president sought to persuade the ex-paramilitary Juan Guillermo Monsalve not to testify about Uribe's alleged links with paramilitary groups in the Antioquia region, and also, to incriminate Senator Iván Cepeda in illicit acts.
Judge Heredia declared: "The first bribe in criminal proceedings regarding the materiality of the punishable conduct has been proven," alluding to the actions carried out by Cadena when representing Uribe and contacting Monsalve, a prisoner in a Bogota jail. According to the file, these benefits sought to condition the testimonies of people detained in several of the open processes against the former head of state.
The case originated in 2012, when Uribe denounced Cepeda for allegedly obtaining false testimonies against him regarding the genesis of paramilitarism in Antioquia. However, the collection of evidence modified the course of the process and pointed to a strategy to manipulate witnesses, which led to Cepeda going from accused to victim and Uribe himself being investigated.
The court still has to decide whether Uribe is guilty of the other crimes the Prosecutor's Office accuses him of: procedural fraud and bribery, as well as define a possible sentence. The evolution of this case continues to generate repercussions in the political and judicial life of Colombia.
The Corporation of Judges and Magistrates of Colombia expressed its support this Monday for Judge Sandra Heredia, responsible for deciding the judicial fate of former President Álvaro Uribe in a bribery case, and requested the authorities to maintain the necessary protection measures, according to El Tiempo.
The process Uribe is facing originated in 2012 and could lead to a sentence of between six and twelve years in prison for the crimes of bribery, procedural fraud, and bribery in criminal proceedings. According to El Tiempo, this trial represents the first time a former president of Colombia could receive a criminal sentence in the first instance.
In a statement, the board of directors of Corjusticia expressed that, on behalf of judicial officials from different districts of the country, they convey their solidarity and support to Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia Aranda, who currently holds the position of Judge 44 Criminal Circuit with Knowledge Function of Bogotá. The guild emphasized the "importance of judicial independence and autonomy" and called on the authorities, media, involved parties, and the national and international community to "respect the functional exercise" of Heredia, as well as the decision she issues in this case.
The organization urged the Government and the Superior Council of the Judiciary to "continue adopting the necessary mechanisms to guarantee all judges (...) the necessary conditions for the fulfillment of their functions, including the protection measures required according to each case," according to El Tiempo.
