BOGOTA (COLOMBIA): Influential former President Alvaro Uribe stated he would surrender from his Senate seat Tuesday after Colombia's Supreme Court ordered him to testify on allegations of witness tampering.
Uribe tweeted that he felt "morally impeded" from proceeding in his role as a senator whilst additionally mounting a defense towards accusations that he has he refuted.
"I've proceeded according to the law and my rights," he wrote on Twitter, whilst decrying the Supreme Court's press free up as a "pre-judgment."
For a number of years the powerful ex-chief of state has been occupied with a prolonged criminal dispute associated with long-simmering and vehemently denied claims of ties to right-wing paramilitary groups.
The conservative Uribe accused Ivan Cepeda, a senator at the reverse finish of the political spectrum, of pressuring prison inmates to falsely state that he was connected to at least one such group.
The Supreme Court found no proof to improve Uribe's claim but decided there have been grounds to investigate him for manipulating witnesses as a substitute.
In a statement, the court supplied few details about the allegations but stated that when Uribe's case towards Cepeda was blocked from going ahead in February, "People close to ex-President Uribe began new acts of manipulating witnesses." The court stated both Uribe and every other lawmaker, Alvaro Hernan Prada, could be requested to answer accusations of "bribery and procedural fraud."
Cepeda told The Associated Press that Uribe's associates had introduced one witness a bribe in change for retracting accusations towards the previous president.
"Colombia is showing today that no one is above the law," Cepeda stated.
The case comes simply two weeks before President-elect Ivan Duque can be sworn into place of job, having handily won a runoff election towards ex-guerrilla Gustavo Petro thank you in large part to Uribe's improve. Though Uribe left the presidency in 2010, he still has legions of supporters in Colombia.
Many Colombians had speculated whether or not Uribe would use his place within the Senate and close dating with Duque to sway the brand new president on decisive issues, such as making changes to the government's peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
On Tuesday evening, Duque stated Uribe has the precise of due procedure and presumption of innocence.
"We express our solidarity to ex-President Uribe and his family in these moments," he stated. "And we are confident that his honor and innocence will prevail."
Uribe has been dogged by allegations of links to drug cartels and paramilitaries for the reason that start of his political profession within the early 1980s, when the civil aviation agency he led was accused of giving air licenses to drug traffickers. US State Department cables declassified in May confirmed US officers have been told greater than twenty years ago that Uribe had ties to drug cartels.
His brother, Santiago Uribe, is looking forward to trial on charges that he was a pace-setter of a loss of life squad referred to as the "Twelve Apostles" that was run from his livestock ranch.
Uribe, in a video posted on social media, has brushed aside the allegations within the State Department cables as "fake news, in electoral periods and without proof."
Uribe tweeted that he felt "morally impeded" from proceeding in his role as a senator whilst additionally mounting a defense towards accusations that he has he refuted.
"I've proceeded according to the law and my rights," he wrote on Twitter, whilst decrying the Supreme Court's press free up as a "pre-judgment."
For a number of years the powerful ex-chief of state has been occupied with a prolonged criminal dispute associated with long-simmering and vehemently denied claims of ties to right-wing paramilitary groups.
The conservative Uribe accused Ivan Cepeda, a senator at the reverse finish of the political spectrum, of pressuring prison inmates to falsely state that he was connected to at least one such group.
The Supreme Court found no proof to improve Uribe's claim but decided there have been grounds to investigate him for manipulating witnesses as a substitute.
In a statement, the court supplied few details about the allegations but stated that when Uribe's case towards Cepeda was blocked from going ahead in February, "People close to ex-President Uribe began new acts of manipulating witnesses." The court stated both Uribe and every other lawmaker, Alvaro Hernan Prada, could be requested to answer accusations of "bribery and procedural fraud."
Cepeda told The Associated Press that Uribe's associates had introduced one witness a bribe in change for retracting accusations towards the previous president.
"Colombia is showing today that no one is above the law," Cepeda stated.
The case comes simply two weeks before President-elect Ivan Duque can be sworn into place of job, having handily won a runoff election towards ex-guerrilla Gustavo Petro thank you in large part to Uribe's improve. Though Uribe left the presidency in 2010, he still has legions of supporters in Colombia.
Many Colombians had speculated whether or not Uribe would use his place within the Senate and close dating with Duque to sway the brand new president on decisive issues, such as making changes to the government's peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
On Tuesday evening, Duque stated Uribe has the precise of due procedure and presumption of innocence.
"We express our solidarity to ex-President Uribe and his family in these moments," he stated. "And we are confident that his honor and innocence will prevail."
Uribe has been dogged by allegations of links to drug cartels and paramilitaries for the reason that start of his political profession within the early 1980s, when the civil aviation agency he led was accused of giving air licenses to drug traffickers. US State Department cables declassified in May confirmed US officers have been told greater than twenty years ago that Uribe had ties to drug cartels.
His brother, Santiago Uribe, is looking forward to trial on charges that he was a pace-setter of a loss of life squad referred to as the "Twelve Apostles" that was run from his livestock ranch.
Uribe, in a video posted on social media, has brushed aside the allegations within the State Department cables as "fake news, in electoral periods and without proof."
Powerful ex-Colombia president vows to resign from Senate
![Powerful ex-Colombia president vows to resign from Senate]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
July 25, 2018
Rating:
