The Associated Press

Appeals court overturns conviction of Colombian ex-President Uribe for bribery and witness tampering

Colombia One

Ex-President of Colombia Alvaro Uribe Cleared of All Charges in Historic Ruling

The City Paper Bogotá

Colombia Court Overturns Uribe Conviction, Declares Ex-President Innocent

Colombia Reports

Bogota appeals court overturns Uribes fraud and bribery conviction

BBC News

Colombian court overturns former president Alvaro Uribe's conviction

Colombia: Court overturns all charges for lvaro Uribe's 12-year home sentence

Reuters

Colombia ex-president acquitted in witness tampering case, senator to appeal

La Derecha Diario

The Supreme Court overturned the conviction and confirmed Álvaro Uribe's innocence

Mercopress

Colombia: Uribe acquitted by Bogot court citing procedural glitches

petrogustavo

SecRubio

DeputySecState

El País

Colombian court acquits former president lvaro Uribe of all charges

NACLA

Uribe on Trial: Colombias Justice System Faces Its Defining Test

The Superior Tribunal of Bogotá overturned on Tuesday the conviction of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/colombian-court-frees-expresident-uribe-during-appeal">former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe</a> for witness tampering and bribery for which he had been <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2025/colombias-expresident-uribe-gets-years-house-arrest">sentenced to 12 years of house arrest</a> in August.

The Superior Tribunal of Bogotá overturned on Tuesday the conviction of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe for witness tampering and bribery for which he had been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest in August.

The high court said in its 700-page appellate ruling that some of the wiretaps used to open the formal investigation against Uribe were obtained illegally, adding that conversations he had with his lawyer on a phone other than his own should have been suppressed as evidence.

The high court said in its 700-page appellate ruling that some of the wiretaps used to open the formal investigation against Uribe were obtained illegally, adding that conversations he had with his lawyer on a phone other than his own should have been suppressed as evidence.

Furthermore, the court found that the testimonies from former paramilitaries Carlos Enrique Vélez and Juan Guillermo Monsalve lacked credibility due to inconsistencies, and that evidence of payments to former paramilitary Euridice Cortes failed to prove bribery.

Furthermore, the court found that the testimonies from former paramilitaries Carlos Enrique Vélez and Juan Guillermo Monsalve lacked credibility due to inconsistencies, and that evidence of payments to former paramilitary Euridice Cortes failed to prove bribery.

Senator and presidential pre-candidate Iván Cepeda — one of the central figures in the case — and victims' lawyer Miguel Ángel del Río have already announced plans for an appeal to the country's Supreme Court.

Al Jazeera

Anadolu Ajansı

Senator and presidential pre-candidate Iván Cepeda — one of the central figures in the case — and victims' lawyer Miguel Ángel del Río have already announced plans for an appeal to the country's Supreme Court.

The case against Uribe dates back to 2012, and follows a complaint filed by the former president himself in the wake of a debate in which Cepeda suggested that Uribe had ties to paramilitary groups.

teleSUR English

The case against Uribe dates back to 2012, and follows a complaint filed by the former president himself in the wake of a debate in which Cepeda suggested that Uribe had ties to paramilitary groups.

This latest ruling removes legal obstacles for the conservative leader to run for the Senate in next year's elections, as his Democratic Center previously announced. In Colombia, former presidents are barred for running for reelection — even for a nonconsecutive term.

Bloomberg.com

This latest ruling removes legal obstacles for the conservative leader to run for the Senate in next year's elections, as his Democratic Center previously announced. In Colombia, former presidents are barred for running for reelection — even for a nonconsecutive term.

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Colombia's Superior Tribunal of Bogota overturned former President Alvaro Uribe's conviction for witness tampering and procedural fraud, reversing a 12-year house arrest sentence imposed in August by Judge Sandra Heredia.</span

Colombia's Superior Tribunal of Bogota overturned former President Alvaro Uribe's conviction for witness tampering and procedural fraud, reversing a 12-year house arrest sentence imposed in August by Judge Sandra Heredia.

The appeals court ruled that wiretaps used as evidence against Uribe were obtained illegally and that testimony from former paramilitary commanders Carlos Enrique Velez and Juan Guillermo Monsalve lacked credibility due to inconsistencies.</span

The appeals court ruled that wiretaps used as evidence against Uribe were obtained illegally and that testimony from former paramilitary commanders Carlos Enrique Velez and Juan Guillermo Monsalve lacked credibility due to inconsistencies.

The case originated in 2012 when Uribe filed a complaint against Senator Ivan Cepeda for alleged witness tampering, but the Supreme Court dismissed charges against Cepeda and instead opened an investigation into Uribe in 2018.</span

teleSUR English #

The case originated in 2012 when Uribe filed a complaint against Senator Ivan Cepeda for alleged witness tampering, but the Supreme Court dismissed charges against Cepeda and instead opened an investigation into Uribe in 2018.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Uribe's original conviction as weaponization of Colombia's judicial system, while current President Gustavo Petro denounced the appeals court ruling as covering up paramilitary governance.</span

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Uribe's original conviction as weaponization of Colombia's judicial system, while current President Gustavo Petro denounced the appeals court ruling as covering up paramilitary governance.

Senator Ivan Cepeda and victims' lawyer Miguel Angel del Rio announced they would appeal the acquittal to Colombia's Supreme Court, potentially extending the 13-year legal proceedings for up to five additional years.</span

Al Jazeera #5539

Senator Ivan Cepeda and victims' lawyer Miguel Angel del Rio announced they would appeal the acquittal to Colombia's Supreme Court, potentially extending the 13-year legal proceedings for up to five additional years.

The ruling removes legal obstacles for Uribe to run for Senate as announced by his Democratic Center party, potentially influencing Colombia's 2026 presidential and legislative elections where several of his allies plan to compete.</span

The ruling removes legal obstacles for Uribe to run for Senate as announced by his Democratic Center party, potentially influencing Colombia's 2026 presidential and legislative elections where several of his allies plan to compete.

The appeals court's reversal continues Colombia's shameful tradition of protecting paramilitary-linked politicians from accountability. By dismissing wiretapped evidence of Uribe discussing bribes, the tribunal covers up decades of narco-paramilitary governance and genocide. This decision reinforces impunity for elites while silencing those who exposed political corruption.

The appeals court's reversal continues Colombia's shameful tradition of protecting paramilitary-linked politicians from accountability. By dismissing wiretapped evidence of Uribe discussing bribes, the tribunal covers up decades of narco-paramilitary governance and genocide. This decision reinforces impunity for elites while silencing those who exposed political corruption.</span

Gustavo Petro

Colombia's justice system finally stood strong against a brazen political witch hunt that targeted former President Uribe for years. The appeals court's decision proves that legal institutions can resist weaponization by those seeking to criminalize legitimate politics. This victory shows the rule of law prevailed over partisan abuse.

Colombia's justice system finally stood strong against a brazen political witch hunt that targeted former President Uribe for years. The appeals court's decision proves that legal institutions can resist weaponization by those seeking to criminalize legitimate politics. This victory shows the rule of law prevailed over partisan abuse.</span

Christopher Landau

Marco Rubio

Colombia Court Overturns Ex-President Uribe's Conviction

Verdicts & sentences

Colombia

Politics

Governance

Bribery

Colombia's justice system finally stood strong against a brazen political witch hunt that targeted former President Uribe for years. The appeals court's decision proves that legal institutions can resist weaponization by those seeking to criminalize legitimate politics. This victory shows the rule of law prevailed over partisan abuse, and serves as an example for other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Colombia's justice system finally stood strong against a brazen political witch hunt that targeted former President Uribe for years. The appeals court's decision proves that legal institutions can resist weaponization by those seeking to criminalize legitimate politics. This victory shows the rule of law prevailed over partisan abuse, and serves as an example for other countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Colombia: Appeals Court Overturns Former President Uribe's Conviction

Colombia: Appeals Court Overturns Ex-Former President Uribe's Conviction

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Colombia: Appeals Court Overturns Former President Uribe's Conviction

Colombia: Appeals Court Overturns Ex-Former President Uribe's Conviction

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