Colombian Prosecutor’s Office Requests Nine Years of House Arrest for Álvaro Uribe

A man protests outside the Paloquemao Judicial Complex this Monday, in Bogotá (Colombia), holding a sign that says “Uribe to Jail.” Photo: EFE/ Mauricio Dueñas Castañeda
July 28, 2025 Hour: 10:58 pm
In a historic ruling, Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office has requested a sentence of nine years of house arrest and a substantial fine for former President Álvaro Uribe, accusing him of procedural fraud and bribery in a landmark case that has lasted over a decade. This makes Uribe the first ex-president in Colombian history to be convicted of a crime.
RELATED:
Colombian Court Declares Former President Álvaro Uribe Guilty
The trial, which began in 2012, was triggered by accusations from Senator Iván Cepeda, who presented testimonies from former paramilitary members alleging Uribe’s illicit ties to illegal armed groups in the Antioquia region during the 1990s. The court found sufficient evidence that Uribe attempted to manipulate jailed witnesses to falsely testify in his favor, aiming to discredit Cepeda’s claims.
On July 28, 2025, Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia declared Uribe guilty of fraud in legal proceedings and bribery of a public official, rejecting the defense’s request to maintain the former president’s freedom.
The judge emphasized that justice is devoted to the Colombian people and affirmed the seriousness of the offenses. While Uribe was acquitted of a separate bribery charge related to witness tampering, the gravity of the confirmed crimes warrants house arrest as a substitution for prison time.
Uribe, 73, has served as Colombia’s president from 2002 to 2010 and remains a highly influential political figure. His administration was marked by aggressive campaigns against leftist guerrillas, and his critics have long accused him of connections to right-wing paramilitary groups, allegations he has consistently denied. The defense claims the trial is politically motivated and maintains his innocence.
The sentencing will be finalized in a hearing scheduled for the coming Friday, after which the details will be made public. This ruling concludes over 13 years of judicial proceedings characterized by deep political polarization and could have significant implications for Colombian politics going forward.
The investigation underscores the challenges of addressing allegations of corruption and abuses among top political figures and reflects Colombia’s ongoing struggle with its complex history of armed conflict and political violence.