Colombia polarized by Uribe's battle with courts (Bush ally)

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Tuesday July 1, 04:36 AM
Colombia polarized by Uribe's battle with courts

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe deepened his feud with the courts on Monday by going ahead with plans for a referendum aimed at rerunning the 2006 election in which he won a second term.

The popular leader reacted angrily to last week's Supreme Court ruling that said a former lawmaker was bribed by high government officials to support the constitutional amendment that allowed Uribe to seek re-election.

The judges recommended a legal review of the 2006 vote but rather than wait for that, the U.S-backed president wants to take his case directly to voters.

Uribe's move throws politics into turmoil as his long-simmering feud with Colombia's courts over his hard-line policies breaks into an open clash.

After the bribery ruling was handed down Uribe said the Supreme Court was politically biased and may even be influenced by Colombia's multibillion-dollar cocaine trade.



Read more: http://nz.news.yahoo.com/080630/5/6gl9.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. FACTBOX: Colombia's bribery scandal

FACTBOX: Colombia's bribery scandal
Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:37pm EDT

(Reuters) - A former Colombian lawmaker was sentenced last week to almost four years of house arrest for accepting illegal favors in exchange for supporting the constitutional amendment that allowed President Alvaro Uribe to run for and win re-election in 2006.

As the country awaits charges to be filed against the high government officials who allegedly offered bribes to ex-Congress member Yidis Medina, Uribe says he will use a voter referendum to affirm his mandate rather than wait for the courts to rule on the legality of his re-election.

Following are some key facts about the bribery scandal, dubbed "Yidis-politics" by the local media, and what is known so far about Uribe's referendum proposal:

CONFLICT WITH COURTS

The Supreme Court, when it sentenced Medina, asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of the re-election process. The combative U.S.-backed president's move toward a referendum throws politics into turmoil and turns his long-simmering feud with Colombia's courts into an open clash.

Uribe has regularly sparred with the judiciary over his peace negotiations with right-wing paramilitary militias, thousands of whom have demobilized under a deal offering them reduced jail terms for crimes including mass murder.

Uribe says the courts meddle in his policies due to political bias and they say he is too unilateral.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN3028771120080630?rpc=401&