The Democratic Center called for a large national mobilization on August 7 to reject the 12-year sentence against former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez issued by Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia.
"Colombians: this is the cry of millions of our compatriots. From the Democratic Center we respect the institutions and believe in justice, but we are also convinced that today an innocent man is being condemned: President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, the leader who saved Colombia," the group said in a statement issued this Friday, August 1.
The party founded by the former president in 2013 assures that "they will march for Álvaro Uribe Vélez, for democracy and freedoms in Colombia. Also to tell the country that there is not much time left: we are just over a year away from putting an end to the dark night."
"Watch out for the 26th," the Democratic Center concluded in its statement, regarding next year's elections.
The Democratic Center's reaction to the conviction of Álvaro Uribe
The director of the Democratic Center, Gabriel Vallejo, asserted that the judge's decision was politically motivated and not purely a judicial ruling.
"Let Colombians and the world know that today an innocent man is being convicted. It is clear that justice has been manipulated for political purposes. It is clear that they want to wipe out the opposition," Vallejo said on his X social media account.
Several party members have expressed similar views, speaking of political persecution against the opposition leader.
"Is a political coup beginning to materialize to remove him from the electoral race when his popularity is soaring? Just like Miguel was removed with an attack. They say they will place President Uribe under house arrest. If this happens, the political intention to remove him from the campaign is very clear. The political purpose is clear. Uribe has demonstrated his absolute respect for justice; he has always appeared, even the judge has acknowledged this. Uribe does not represent a threat to the"victims," nor is he going to flee; if he had wanted to, he could have done so. Nor can he intervene in the decision of the court, especially when it is already in the hands of higher instances and collegiate bodies," opined Senator Paloma Valencia.
"I want, from afar, with all my heart, to send my condolences to the best president of the last 100 years, Álvaro Uribe Vélez. A president who gave us back prosperity, freedom, and peace. (...) we must make this country once again the great country we lived in. We lost it because it is not possible; condemning Uribe is condemning his legacy while we have a president who is a pardoned guerrilla," said Senator María Fernanda Cabal.
What does Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia's ruling in the Uribe case say?
Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia ruled that the former president must serve 12 years of house arrest for the crimes of procedural fraud and bribery.
"Sentence Álvaro Uribe Vélez to the main penalties of 144 months or what is the same, 12 years in prison, a fine equivalent to 2,420 minimum wages, and disqualification from the exercise of public rights and functions, as the main sanction, of 100 months and 20 days, as criminally responsible for the crime of Bribery in criminal proceedings in homogeneous competition in heterogeneous competition with procedural fraud in homogeneous competition as set forth in the reasoning part of the sentence, committed in the circumstances of time, manner and place described in the pagination," says the ruling known to this newspaper.
"Based on the jurisprudential criteria and knowing that Álvaro Uribe Vélez deserves house arrest, it should be noted that it is necessary for the accused to begin serving his sentence before the decision becomes final, as the nominal requirements of necessity are far exceeded, as will be analyzed below," it added.
