Colombian Prosecutor Summons Ex-President Uribe for Paramilitary Massacres Probe

Colombia's prosecutor's office has initiated a significant legal process, summoning former President Álvaro Uribe for investigation. The probe centers on his alleged responsibility for forming paramilitary groups and their involvement in two notorious massacres during the 1990s. Uribe, a powerful figure in Colombian politics, has long faced accusations of ties to paramilitarism, allegations he has always vehemently denied.

The former president, who served from 2002 to 2010 and led a military offensive against guerrilla groups, is now being summoned for facts related to the formation of a paramilitary group in the Antioquia department between 1995 and 1997, when he was governor. The investigation also covers his alleged role in the 1996 and 1997 massacres in El Aro and La Granja, where paramilitaries committed numerous murders and other crimes. The prosecutor's office accuses Uribe of aggravated conspiracy to commit crimes and homicide of protected persons, suggesting he "facilitated and promoted the actions of that armed structure."

This development occurs amidst a charged political climate, with the second round of presidential elections scheduled for Sunday. Uribe himself acknowledged the summons on social media, lamenting that he must "face this ordeal just hours before the elections." His political opponent and current president, Gustavo Petro, responded by urging Uribe to engage with Colombia's transitional justice system, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, to "declare and contribute to the future of Colombia."

The new inquiry into Uribe's past follows closely on the heels of a conviction against his brother, Santiago Uribe, who was sentenced to 28 years in prison for leading a paramilitary squad known as "Los 12 Apóstoles." The legal proceedings against the Uribe family highlight the enduring impact of Colombia's complex and often violent history.

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A enfrentar este suplicio a pocas horas de elecciones