Will justice finally catch up with former president Uribe?
Colombia’s former president Álvaro Uribe has been found guilty of witness tampering and procedural fraud in a case which has thrust his alleged links to paramilitary groups into the spotlight and could land him in prison.
On 28 July, Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia ruled Uribe had attempted to bribe imprisoned paramilitaries to incriminate progressive senator Iván Cepeda, a long-time Uribe critic.
However, in 2018, the Supreme Court found that Cepeda had no case to answer, while at the same time launching an investigation into Uribe. The court’s verdict effectively finds that Uribe broke the law seeking to protect himself.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other far-right Republicans blasted the verdict, leading President Petro to demand respect for Colombia’s sovereignty and independence. Rubio’s interference further evidences the close ties between the US and Colombian far-right movements.
For many Colombians, Uribe’s presidency is synonymous with state atrocities against civilians and neoliberal policies that pushed millions of people into poverty.
Progressive parties to merge
Six political entities that belong to Colombia’s governing Historic Pact coalition of President Gustavo Petro have agreed to merge into a single party, following an earlier ruling that prevents the coalition in its current guise from running in next year’s election.
The four parties involved are Colombia Humana, the Communist Party, the Democratic Alternative Pole and the Patriotic Union, while Progresistas and the Minga Social and Popular are political movements that have supported the governing coalition since the 2022 election.
If the single party is established, it will represent the main electoral vehicle for Colombia’s left and progressive sectors ahead of the May 2026 presidential election. Its programme will consolidate current Historic Pact policies around peace implementation, environmental protection, social investment, land reform, democratisation and minority rights.
New advances in Total Peace
The government’s Total Peace strategy has made an important advance after an agreement with armed group the National Coordinator of the Bolivarian Army (CNEB) over the voluntary removal of illicit coca plantations – the base ingredient for cocaine – and their replacement with legal alternative crops in southern Colombia.
Total Peace prioritises dialogue as the most effective means of reducing violent conflict in Colombia. Currently, the government is holding eight sets of talks with armed groups, including guerrillas such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), paramilitary successor groups and urban gangs. While there have been several challenges, the latest development raises optimism that positive outcomes can be reached.