POWERFUL EX-COLOMBIAN PREXY PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe will be placed under house arrest while the Supreme Court (SC) advances a witness tampering investigation against him in a titanic blow to one of the nation’s most enduring but controversial political leaders, Christine Armario wrote for the Associated Press (AP) on August 5, 2020.

The high court’s unanimous decision published late Tuesday states magistrates found “possible risks” of obstruction of justice while they continue probing accusations the ex-president had a role in bribing potential witnesses against him.

“He will fulfill his detention from his residence,” said Hector Javier Alarcón, president of the SC chamber handling the case. “And from there he can continue his defense with all the guarantees of due process of law.”

The news touched off a firestorm in Colombia, where Uribe remains a domineering voice in the nation’s highly divisive politics. Critics and civil rights groups praised the SC for continuing to pursue the accusations against him in a country where the powerful routinely escape punishment for wrongdoing. “The court is showing that everyone – even the most powerful – is equal before the law,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director of Human Rights Watch (HRW.)