Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe was found guilty of corruption in a trial that could worsen already fraying ties between Bogotá and Washington.
Uribe — who remains a towering figure in Latin America — was convicted of bribing a witness who alleged the former president masterminded a paramilitary group three decades ago, and faces up to 12 years in prison. He said he would appeal.
The case has implications for Colombia’s relations with the US: “The weaponization of Colombia’s judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Rubio’s statement echoes Washington’s attacks against Brazil’s judiciary for its prosecution of a former leader the White House also sees as an ideological ally.