
Colombia ex-president sentenced to 12 years of house arrest, document shows
Uribe was convicted of the two charges on Monday by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia in a witness-tampering case that has run for about 13 years. He has always maintained his innocence.
The information, also published by local media, came hours ahead of the hearing where Heredia will read the sentence in court.
Uribe will be fined $578,000 in the case, the document showed.
The conviction made him the country's first ex-president to ever be found guilty at trial and came less than a year before Colombia's 2026 presidential election, in which several of Uribe's allies and proteges are competing for top office.
It could also have implications for Colombia's relationship with the US: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week Uribe's conviction is a 'weaponization of Colombia's judicial branch by radical judges' and analysts have said there could be cuts to US aid in response.
Uribe, 73, and his supporters have always said the process is a persecution, while his detractors have celebrated it as deserved comeuppance for a man who has been accused for decades of close ties with violent right-wing paramilitaries but never convicted of any crime until now.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Asharq Al-Awsat
13 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US Objection Forces Iraq to Delay Approval of New PMF Law to New Parliament
Opposition from the United States has led to the delay of the ratification of a law related to Iraq's pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The Iraqi parliament was supposed to convene to ratify the law, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month said would 'institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq's sovereignty.' Informed political sources said the American objections mean it is unlikely for the current parliament to ratify the law and the issue will be delayed until a new parliament is elected. Parliamentary elections are expected to be held in November. Armed factions and some Shiite parties were pushing for the ratification of the law. The sources added, however, that there are doubts that even the new parliament would be able to approve the legislation given 'regional changes that may arise and with the possibility that the influence of the armed factions may diminish in wake of the elections results.' The US has for months expressed its opposition to the law during meetings with various Iraqi officials. On Saturday, US Chargé d'Affaires Steven Fagin explicitly expressed Washington's concern about the law after meeting with Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, First Deputy Speaker of parliament, reiterating Rubio's statement. Despite the firm American opposition, the political sources said Iran remains determined to ratify the law, a stance that was expressed during a secret visit to Baghdad by its Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani. Conflicts within the Coordination Framework American opposition is not the only reason for the delay in the ratification. Media reports have pointed to 'political conflicts' within the pro-Iran Coordination Framework over the leadership of the PMF, as well as top positions within the organization. MP Raed al-Maliki told the media that disputes within the Framework over 'minor details' prompted the delay. The Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction, meanwhile, has repeatedly called for referring head of the PMF Falih Al-Fayyadh to retirement given that he has reached the age, reflecting its desire to take over his position. Beyond Shiite circles, Kurdish and Sunni officials have also objected to the law given their existing reservations over the armed factions that are loyal to the PMF, most notably in wake of the recent attacks on oil and gas fields in the Kurdistan Region that have been blamed on them. Fayyadh had on Sunday urged parliament to ratify the law, saying it was not only a legislation, 'but a consolidation of the rights of those who have shed blood for the glory of the nation.' 'It is an embodiment of the people's gratitude to those who carried arms in defense of Iraq and its unity,' he added. His message fell on deaf ears at parliament as it was not included on its Monday agenda.

Al Arabiya
14 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Brazil judge puts ex-president Bolsonaro under house arrest
A Brazilian judge on Monday placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for breaking a social media ban, escalating a dramatic standoff between the court and the politician, who is accused of plotting a coup. Bolsonaro is on trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly trying to cling to power after losing the 2022 elections to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. President Donald Trump has sought to punish Brazil, a longtime US ally, for what he views as a politically motivated 'witch hunt' against Bolsonaro by imposing steep tariffs on Latin America's biggest economy. The 70-year-old Bolsonaro is banned from social media for the duration of the proceedings, and third parties are barred from sharing his public remarks. But on Sunday, his allies defied the order by sharing footage of a video call between Bolsonaro and his eldest son Flavio at a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes reacted sharply, declaring that the judiciary would not allow a defendant to 'treat it like a fool' because of his 'political and economic power.' Citing Bolsonaro's 'repeated failure' to comply with court-imposed restrictions, Moraes ordered him placed under house arrest at his home in the capital, Brasília. He also barred Bolsonaro from receiving visitors other than his lawyers and from using mobile phones. Moraes warned that any further violations could lead to Bolsonaro being detained. Several mobile phones were seized from his home on Monday, police said. Washington condemned the new restrictions, with the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs posting on X: 'Minister Alexandre de Moraes, already sanctioned by the United States for human rights violations, continues to use Brazilian institutions to silence the opposition and threaten democracy. Let Bolsonaro speak!' US officials said they would 'hold accountable all those who collaborate with or facilitate sanctioned conduct.' The post was re-shared by Bolsonaro's son Eduardo Bolsonaro, who successfully lobbied Washington to take punitive action against Brazil. In a separate post, he wrote: 'Brazil is no longer a democracy,' and called Moraes an 'out-of-control psychopath.' Last month, Moraes ordered Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor and imposed the social media ban. Trump responded by banning Moraes from entering the United States and freezing his assets held in US banks. Trump's pressure campaign has angered many Brazilians but won him favor among Bolsonaro's conservative base. At rallies in Rio, Brasília and São Paulo on Sunday, some demonstrators waved US flags and held signs reading 'Thank you Trump.' Bolsonaro did not attend the rallies, having been ordered to remain home at night and on weekends throughout the trial. Prosecutors say he and seven co-defendants attempted to overturn his 2022 election defeat in a plot that only failed because the military refused to support it. If convicted, Bolsonaro faces a sentence of up to 40 years. The trial is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.


Arab News
20 hours ago
- Arab News
Brazilian judge places ex-president Bolsonaro under house arrest
BRASÍLIA: A Brazilian judge on Monday placed former president Jair Bolsonaro under house arrest for breaking a social media ban, escalating a dramatic standoff between the court and the far-right politician accused of plotting a coup. Bolsonaro, an ally of US President Donald Trump, is on trial at the Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to cling onto power after losing 2022 elections to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Last month, he was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet and barred from using social media after being accused of trying to disrupt the trial with fiery speeches shared online by his sons and allies. Under the ban, third parties are barred from sharing his public remarks. On Sunday, allies of Bolsonaro, 70, defied the court order by broadcasting a live call between the former army captain and his son at a solidarity rally in Rio de Janeiro, one of several held across Brazil. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes reacted furiously, declaring Monday that the judiciary would not allow a defendant to 'treat it like a fool' because of his 'political and economic power.' Criticizing Bolsonaro's 'repeated failure' to comply with the court's restrictions, he ordered him placed under house arrest at his home in the capital Brasilia. He also barred the country's former leader (2019-2022) from receiving visitors, apart from his lawyers, and from using any mobile phones. The new measures were expected to be met with fury in Washington. Last week, Trump already imposed massive tariffs on Brazil and sanctioned Moraes for what he termed his 'witch hunt' against Bolsonaro. Trump's pressure campaign, including 50-percent tariffs on a raft of Brazilian goods, including coffee, has endeared him to Bolsonaro's conservative base. At Sunday's rallies, some demonstrators waved US flags or held signs reading 'Thank you Trump.' Bolsonaro himself did not attend the rallies, having been ordered by the Supreme Court to stay home at night and at weekends throughout the trial. He faces a heavy prison sentence in the trial, which is expected to be concluded in the coming weeks. The crusading Moraes has become a figure of hate on the Brazilian and American right for taking the fight to the far right. He has repeatedly clashed with Bolsonaro as well as X owner Elon Musk, whom he accuses of failing to fight disinformation.