Álvaro Uribe, the former Colombian president who became an international symbol of conservative resistance to Marxist insurgencies, was reportedly sentenced to 12 years of house arrest on Friday in a witness-tampering case that critics say is politically motivated and rooted in Colombia’s fraught ideological divide.
Uribe, 73, who served two terms from 2002 to 2010 and remains a towering figure on the Latin American right, led a decisive military campaign against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a U.S.-designated terrorist group that for decades terrorized the country with kidnappings, bombings, and extortion.
His tenure is widely credited with restoring order in Colombia and pushing the guerrilla group into retreat.
But despite — or perhaps because of — that legacy, Uribe has faced relentless attacks from the Colombian left, culminating in his conviction this week for bribery and abuse of process.
On Monday, Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia found that Uribe, while serving as a senator, attempted to discredit an investigation launched by far-left Senator Iván Cepeda by allegedly sending a lawyer to influence witnesses.
On Friday, she sentenced him to house arrest.
Uribe, who has long denied wrongdoing, maintains that his legal team acted properly in seeking to verify the credibility of witnesses aligned with Cepeda, a longtime political adversary and ally of the current leftist president, Gustavo Petro. The former president has vowed to appeal the sentence.
“Uribe’s only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post on X, a sentiment that reflects continued admiration for Uribe among American conservatives and national security officials who see him as a bulwark against socialism in the hemisphere.
The timing of the verdict is drawing scrutiny, as it may bolster Cepeda’s rising political profile ahead of Colombia’s May 2026 presidential election.
Cepeda has not formally declared his candidacy, but has said he is “seriously analyzing” a potential run. Political analysts suggest the conviction could energize President Petro’s embattled government, which has been hampered by scandal and stagnation.
“The conviction makes his candidacy viable,” said Jorge Restrepo, a political analyst at Bogotá’s Javeriana University.
Uribe’s legacy remains deeply polarizing. While his detractors focus on the darker corners of Colombia’s internal conflict — including allegations of rights abuses by paramilitaries — his supporters point to the undeniable reduction in violence and his strong alliance with the United States, particularly under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Uribe’s offensive forced FARC leaders into remote jungle hideouts and eventually to the negotiating table, paving the way for the 2016 peace deal under his successor Juan Manuel Santos.
Despite the conviction, Uribe remains a potent symbol of conservative governance and anti-communist resolve. Whether the court’s ruling marks the end of his political influence — or a new chapter in Colombia’s ideological battles — remains to be seen.
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