Colombia's war crimes tribunal inquiring about Uribe's alleged paramilitary ties

[Judi Lynn]

Former governor ordered to provide information over AUC's political and business contacts

by Adriaan Alsema July 15, 2022

Colombia’s war crimes tribunal JEP ordered a convicted former governor to provide information about former President Alvaro Uribe’s alleged ties to paramilitary death squads.

The former governor of the Magdalena province, Trino Luna, was sentenced to prison for his ties to paramilitary federation AUC in 2007.

The JEP said on Wednesday that Luna’s case was transferred to the transitional justice system, which would allow the former politician to leave prison early if he cooperates.

The former governor was convicted by the Supreme Court in 2007, but failed to provide information that would help identify the businessmen and politicians that made the Bloque Norte and its commander “Jorge 40,” as powerful as they were.

. . .

Uribe was charges with fraud and bribery by the Supreme Court in 2018 over apparent attempts to conceal his alleged ties to the Bloque Metro, the now-defunct AUC that controlled much of Medellin and the surrounding Antioquia province.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombias-war-crimes-tribunal-inquiring-about-uribes-alleged-paramilitary-ties/

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Oh, surely there's been a mistake! After all, Pres. George W. Bush did give Álvaro Uribe the U.S. Medal of Honor! How do ya like them apples?

[Judi Lynn]

1. Article published BEFORE the recent election: Why State mafia allies threaten Colombia's democracy

Opposition victory could end decades of impunity

by Adriaan Alsema May 23, 2022

Colombia’s President Ivan Duque has every reason to fear the elections after the opposition vowed to “overthrow the regime of corruption” with the help of the United Nations.

Opposition candidate Gustavo Petro said on Sunday that he would ask the UN for a commission similar to the “International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala” (CICIG).

. . .

Petro explicitly mentioned the CICIG’s former president, Ivan Velasquez, whose name alone would strike fear in the hearts of Colombia’s corrupt politicians and businessmen. Between 2006 and 2012, Velasquez led the Supreme Court’s investigations into the so-called “parapolitics” scandal, which led to the imprisonment of at least 65 congressmen and seven former governors.

. . .

The former president has been tied to organized crime since his rise in politics under the wing of the Medellin Cartel in the 1970’s.

More:
https://colombiareports.com/why-state-mafia-allies-threaten-colombias-democracy/