Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has denounced the fees he faces as an act of political retribution, as he confronts the prospect of a background-generating felony circumstance.

Never ever just before has a Colombian president stood demo on prison charges. But before this 7 days, the office of Colombia’s attorney standard, Luz Adriana Camargo Garzon, introduced that prosecutors would file a prison complaint alleging Uribe participated in witness tampering and fraud.

On Wednesday, Uribe responded with a online video statement broadcast to social media.

“The demo is being carried out for political persecution, for individual condemnation, for political revenge, devoid of proof that I sought to bribe witnesses or deceive justice,” Uribe, 71, mentioned.

He underscored that there was no evidence linking him to any wrongdoing, nor to any of the paramilitary teams embroiled in Colombia’s decades-lengthy inner conflict.

“They are opening the doorways of the jail with out proof,” Uribe added.

His political social gathering, the suitable-wing Democratic Center team, also took to social media to convey help for the former president.

The group mentioned it acquired the news of the pending prison costs with “pain and sadness”.

“Like a big bulk of Colombians who have believed and supported Alvaro Uribe Velez, the Democratic Center maintains its organization conviction in the innocence and honourability of the previous president whose perform and legacy in Colombia have been done with infinite adore and a great commitment to the place,” the Democratic Heart wrote in a article on Tuesday.

So significantly, the felony costs have nevertheless to be filed, and no hearing has been set.

But a conviction for witness tampering could have a sentence of up to 12 a long time. On the procedural fraud demand, Uribe could encounter up to eight yrs.

Uribe has very long been less than scrutiny for alleged crimes committed less than his administration, which lasted two conditions, from 2002 to 2010.

Tuesday’s announcement stems mostly from decade-old accusations that Uribe attempted to silence witnesses who tied him to the creation and activities of a suitable-wing paramilitary team.

In 2014, a left-wing senator named Ivan Cepeda elevated concerns in the legislature that Uribe had back links to the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), a paramilitary organisation accused of human legal rights abuses and drug trafficking.

Colombia has been embroiled in a 6-10 years-extensive interior conflict, with authorities forces, much-correct paramilitaries, remaining-wing rebels and criminal organisations all competing for energy and territory.

When in workplace, Uribe cultivated a standing for getting a solid-armed strategy to the leftist rebel teams, deploying the military from organisations like the Innovative Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

He was also deemed a near ally of the United States through its world-wide “war on drugs”.

But Uribe’s ways elicited issues about human rights violations. Below his administration, the army was accused of killing civilians in remote parts and counting them as enemy combatants, a string of incidents known as the “false positives” scandal.

Immediately after leaving place of work, Uribe continued to exert significant sway more than Colombian politics, even primary a marketing campaign towards a 2016 peace deal with the FARC.

This week, his supporters took to social media to protect the well-liked previous president with the hashtag #CreoEnUribe or “I believe in Uribe”.

Just after Senator Cepeda lifted concerns about Uribe’s alleged ties to the AUC paramilitary, prosecutors say the previous president tried to persuade witnesses to retract their statements.

Just one of those witnesses is predicted to be Juan Guillermo Montsalve, a former paramilitary member who claims Uribe served to develop the AUC.

Montsalve has formerly accused Uribe of making use of his attorney, Diego Cadena, to offer him bribes in exchange for withdrawing his testimony.

The announcement of impending legal charges arrives shortly following Camargo Garzon was elected legal professional standard in March.

She was 1 of a few candidates President Gustavo Petro put right before the Supreme Courtroom for a vote. In electrical power due to the fact 2022, Petro is regarded the to start with still left-wing chief elected in Colombia.

The Supreme Court beforehand introduced the investigation into Uribe. 2 times, prosecutors experienced attempted to end the investigation — and in the two circumstances, judges had rejected their requests.

Uribe was put under house arrest in 2020 although the investigation into the witness tampering allegations unfolded.