Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Convicted in Historic Bribery and Fraud Case

In a landmark decision that has shaken Colombia’s political establishment, former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez was convicted Monday of witness bribery and procedural fraud—marking the first time a former head of state in the country has faced a criminal conviction.

The ruling, delivered by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia after hours of deliberation, concluded a complex legal saga spanning over a decade. “It can be concluded, based on the prosecution’s findings, that the criminal offense of bribery was sufficiently proven,” Heredia declared from the bench.

Uribe, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010, remains one of the nation’s most influential and polarizing political figures. His presidency is remembered for the “Democratic Security” policy, credited with significantly reducing homicide and kidnapping rates and pushing back guerrilla forces through military and demobilization efforts. Yet his legacy has long been clouded by allegations of human rights abuses and the infamous “false positives” scandal, in which state forces killed thousands of civilians and falsely presented them as enemy combatants.

The roots of the case trace back to 2012, when then-Senator Uribe accused Senator Iván Cepeda Castro of manipulating testimonies to link him to paramilitary groups. But the case took a dramatic turn when Colombia’s Supreme Court, rather than finding wrongdoing by Cepeda, uncovered evidence implicating Uribe and his allies. The court found that former paramilitary members had been bribed and coerced into recanting testimony or fabricating statements in Uribe’s favor.

The period under scrutiny—2012 to 2018—revealed a pattern of interference in judicial proceedings. Investigators presented evidence that Uribe’s associates offered legal aid, money, and other benefits to incarcerated former combatants in exchange for testimony that would undermine Cepeda’s credibility and protect Uribe’s reputation.

“This conviction is the result of a series of legal missteps by the former president himself,” said Sergio Escobar, executive director of the Medellín Global Center for Strategic International Studies. “And it comes amid an increasingly politicized climate. Now that he’s been convicted, an appeal is expected. But with the statute of limitations set to expire in October, the outcome remains uncertain. What is certain is that Uribe can no longer claim innocence.”

Legal analysts say the verdict sends a powerful message about accountability in a country long plagued by impunity among elites. “This is a blow to Uribe’s political career,” said José Francisco Salvo, attorney and member of the NGO Derechos Ciudadanos. “It also reinforces the principle that no one—no matter how powerful—is above the law.”

Public reaction, however, remains deeply divided. Uribe’s critics see the verdict as a long-overdue step toward justice. His supporters, on the other hand, have framed the trial as a politically motivated attack from the left, accusing the judiciary of bias.

“This conviction is seen by many as a victory for the rule of law,” Salvo continued, “but others perceive it as persecution—evidence of the country’s ongoing political polarization.”

That sentiment was echoed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who took to social media to express dismay over the ruling. “Former Colombian President Uribe’s only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland,” Rubio wrote. “The weaponization of Colombia’s judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent.”

Uribe’s defense team has vowed to appeal the verdict. Whether the ruling holds or is overturned, the case has already left an indelible mark on Colombian political history—challenging long-held assumptions about immunity and underscoring the complex intersection of justice and politics in the country.