Colombia: Ex-President Uribe Resigns From Senate Seat

By teleSUR

19 August 20

The former-president also claims there have been several irregularities during his court proceedings, such as leaks to his political adversaries, the lack of direct evidence and dissimilar statements in the process, and information omissions to his attorney.

olombia former president Alvaro Uribe renounced his seat in the Colombian Senate on Tuesday amidst an inquiry against him for witness manipulation.

Uribe sent a resignation letter addressed to Senate president Arturo Char Chaljud, alleging the Supreme Court does not offer legal guarantees in the judicial process. 

"The magistrate, José Luis Barcelo, called me to inquire more than two years ago, in a process I did not know about, whose existence the same magistrate had denied. In a previous process and connected with this, before the same magistrate, I was told a free version that was never allowed," Uribe said.

The ex-president also claims there have been several irregularities on the court proceeding, such as leaks to his political adversaries, the lack of direct evidence and dissimilar statements in the process, and information omission to his attorney.

On August 4, Colombian Supreme Court issued a domicile arrest order against Uribe under charges of witnesses' bribery.

"Under no circumstances does Uribe's resignation from the Senate imply that the Supreme Court of Justice loses its competence to move forward with the investigation and call for a trial," left-wing senator Ivan Cepeda explained.