WikiLeaks reveals first parapolitics cables

[Judi Lynn]

WikiLeaks reveals first parapolitics cables
Sunday, 20 February 2011 11:12
Adriaan Alsema

The administration of former President Alvaro Uribe feared that the revelation of ties between politicians and demobilized paramilitary organization AUC would damage the country's institutions and politics, former President Alvaro Uribe and his Peace Commissioner Carlos Restrepo told the U.S. embassy in 2006.

According to a WikiLeaks cable released Sunday, Restrepo told then-U.S. ambassador William Wood in November 2006 that even though the Colombian government supported the investigations, the Uribe adminstration "is paying a high political cost, since many of the congressmen involved are members of President Uribe's coalition," the cable said.

~snip~
Political leaders were so concerned about rumors about a possible revocation of their U.S. visas they requested meetings with the U.S. ambassador a month before the 2006 congressional elections.

Colombia Democratica leader Mario Uribe, currently in jail awaiting trial for his alleged paramilitary ties, asked the ambassador in early 2006 to tell him which suspicious candidates for the congressional elections to remove. "(Uribe earlier told D/Polcouns that he could not afford to lose his U.S. visa because he had three children in the U.S., two studying and one working; he anticipated spending 'more and more' time in the U.S. in coming years. He added he would give up his Senate seat and political career if that was the only way to keep his visa."

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/14479-uribe-feared-dagame-by-parapolitics-scandal.html

[joshcryer]

1. Good stuff. FARC are not friends of Colombia or anyone but themselves.

[Bacchus39]

2. sounds like Uribe was willing to go along with an investigation, and also

Uribe seemed to be defending his record against the paras compared to previous presidents.