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| Ex-Colombian president Álvaro Uribe found guilty of witness-tampering | Ex-Colombian president Álvaro Uribe found guilty of witness-tampering |
| (25 days later) | |
| Álvaro Uribe has become the first former Colombian president to be convicted of a crime. | Álvaro Uribe has become the first former Colombian president to be convicted of a crime. |
| A court in Bogotá found the 73-year-old, who was president from 2002 to 2010, guilty of witness-tampering and a fraud charge. | A court in Bogotá found the 73-year-old, who was president from 2002 to 2010, guilty of witness-tampering and a fraud charge. |
| He was convicted of attempting to bribe witnesses in a separate investigation into allegations that he had ties to right-wing paramilitaries, responsible for human rights abuses. | He was convicted of attempting to bribe witnesses in a separate investigation into allegations that he had ties to right-wing paramilitaries, responsible for human rights abuses. |
| Each charge carries up to 12 years in prison. Uribe is expected to appeal the verdict, having always maintained his innocence. | Each charge carries up to 12 years in prison. Uribe is expected to appeal the verdict, having always maintained his innocence. |
| Uribe is best known for mounting an aggressive offensive against leftist guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) during his tenure. He has always denied ties to right-wing paramilitaries. | Uribe is best known for mounting an aggressive offensive against leftist guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) during his tenure. He has always denied ties to right-wing paramilitaries. |
| The former president sat shaking his head as the verdict was read out, AFP reported, in the trial that has seen more than 90 witnesses testify. | The former president sat shaking his head as the verdict was read out, AFP reported, in the trial that has seen more than 90 witnesses testify. |
| US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the court's decision, accusing the country's judiciary of being weaponised. | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned the court's decision, accusing the country's judiciary of being weaponised. |
| The former president's "only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland," he wrote on the social media site, X. | The former president's "only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland," he wrote on the social media site, X. |
| The result comes more than a decade after Uribe was first charged in 2012. | The result comes more than a decade after Uribe was first charged in 2012. |
| At that time, he accused a left-wing senator, Ivan Cepeda, of a plot against him. Uribe claimed Cepeda wanted to falsely link him to right-wing paramilitary groups involved in Colombia's internal armed conflict. | At that time, he accused a left-wing senator, Ivan Cepeda, of a plot against him. Uribe claimed Cepeda wanted to falsely link him to right-wing paramilitary groups involved in Colombia's internal armed conflict. |
| But the country's Supreme Court dismissed the former president's claims against Cepeda, instead investigating Uribe for the ties. | But the country's Supreme Court dismissed the former president's claims against Cepeda, instead investigating Uribe for the ties. |
| The former president was then accused of contacting jailed ex-fighters and bribing them to deny connections to the paramilitary groups - tampering with key witnesses. | The former president was then accused of contacting jailed ex-fighters and bribing them to deny connections to the paramilitary groups - tampering with key witnesses. |
| Uribe said he had wanted to convince the ex-fighters to tell the truth. | Uribe said he had wanted to convince the ex-fighters to tell the truth. |
| Uribe supporters outside court in Bogotá | Uribe supporters outside court in Bogotá |
| Paramilitary groups emerged in Colombia in the 1980s to fight the Marxist-inspired guerrilla groups that had been battling the state since the 1960s. | |
| Many of the armed groups which developed in the standoff made an income from the cocaine trade. Violent and deadly fighting between them and with the state has produced lasting rivalries for trafficking routes and resources. | Many of the armed groups which developed in the standoff made an income from the cocaine trade. Violent and deadly fighting between them and with the state has produced lasting rivalries for trafficking routes and resources. |
| Uribe was praised by Washington for his hard-line approach to Farc rebels – but was a divisive politician whose critics say did little to improve the inequality and poverty in the country. | Uribe was praised by Washington for his hard-line approach to Farc rebels – but was a divisive politician whose critics say did little to improve the inequality and poverty in the country. |
| Farc signed a peace deal with Uribe's successor in 2016 though violence from disarmed groups persists in Colombia. | Farc signed a peace deal with Uribe's successor in 2016 though violence from disarmed groups persists in Colombia. |
| Correction 22 August 2025: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the paramilitary groups emerging in Colombia in the 1980s had had the stated goal of taking on poverty and marginalisation. They were, in fact, formed to counter the Marxist-inspired guerrilla groups that had been battling the state since the 1960s. |