The Attorney General's Office decided to call former President Álvaro Uribe to trial for alleged procedural fraud and bribery of witnesses. As expected, the announcement caused all kinds of reactions in the national political arena.
In the space of congressmen of the Democratic Center they defended their natural leader. Furthermore, they were emphatic in denouncing that there is persecution against the former president.
To begin with, Senator Miguel Uribe Turbay assured that “There has not been a president more scrutinized than Álvaro Uribe”, mentioning that “he has had to endure all kinds of accusations, slander and accusations during the last 20 years.” Likewise, he highlighted the relevance that the former president has in the country.
“Today the most important politician who counteracts the national government is called Álvaro Uribe Vélez. The political party that today defends Colombians, democracy and freedom is the Democratic Center, and it is not in vain that we are being victims of this type of attacks. Not only President Uribe, who we already know, but also the absurd demands that they make of us, but that in some way also seek to limit the capacity of the opposition,” said Uribe Turbay.
For the congressman, it is also evident that “those who Álvaro Uribe defeated militarily and politically are those who have built a narrative of persecution to destroy his honor.” As such, he commented that the call for trial is no coincidence, taking into account that the former president “is the one who counteracts President Petro” and who “represents the responsible and intelligent opposition.”
“We Colombians know a lot about the honorability of Álvaro Uribe, and we are going to learn more and more. Álvaro Uribe has been a human being and an impeccable politician. He has always attended court proceedings with respect and has always proven his innocence. Today, Álvaro Uribe is a victim of obvious persecutionwhere in an absolutely absurd case they have set up a web of lies for the purpose of muddying what he represents,” he said.
“The greatest political infamy in the history of Colombia”
The director of the Democratic Center, Gabriel Vallejo, joined in saying that, after the news about the accusation against former President Álvaro Uribe, he woke up “with a wrinkled heart and soul.”
“This situation causes us enormous sadness (…). We find it unfair to a man who is innocent, honorable and who has done nothing but dedicate his entire life – with enormous sacrifice – to serving Colombia,” commented Vallejo in the space of
Next, he added that there was an “enormous injustice” and called the situation “the greatest political infamy in the history of Colombia.”
“There is not the slightest doubt, President Uribe has reiterated it ad nauseam and so have his lawyers, that here there are enormous procedural irregularities (…). The only thing that President Uribe has asked for is the search for the truth. The Colombian people cannot have the slightest doubt that President Uribe does not influence any testimony,” he concluded.
“They didn't need anything but to give themselves a little something”
“They just had to give themselves a little bit of happiness for the announcement that we were learning about at that moment. Furthermore, everything was completely orchestrated: the day of the victims, President Petro's visit to Maduro's dictates (…). Really, this is a process that has generated sadness for us and that we have deeply regretted,” said Espinal.
