BOGOTA, Colombia

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe was found guilty Monday of procedural fraud and bribing witnesses, becoming the first head of state in the country's history to be convicted.

Judge Sandra Heredia read the lengthy ruling, spanning over 10 hours, in a decision that analysts say could significantly impact Colombia's 2026 presidential elections.

Uribe, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010, remains the most prominent opposition figure to current President Gustavo Petro's administration.

The trial originated 13 years ago from a political debate in Congress between Uribe and Senator Ivan Cepeda of the governing party. During the debate, Cepeda insinuated Uribe's alleged links to extreme right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia. In response, Uribe denounced Cepeda before the Supreme Court of Justice, alleging that the senator had irregularly sought testimonies from imprisoned ex-paramilitaries across the country to link him to these illegal armed groups.

However, in 2018, the Supreme Court of Justice found insufficient evidence to proceed against Senator Cepeda and closed his case. In the same ruling, the court ordered an investigation into Uribe himself for alleged witness tampering aimed at discrediting his political adversary. The former leader was effectively accused of manipulating testimony.

In 2020, the court ordered Uribe's home detention. Prior to this judicial decision, the former president resigned from his Senate seat, which moved his case to the ordinary justice system. He was formally charged with bribery, procedural fraud and witness tampering in May 2024.

Subsequently, the Colombian Prosecutors' Office attempted to close the case against Uribe, but their petition was denied.

Throughout the process, the former president has consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that the proceedings are politically motivated revenge.

Uribe could face a prison sentence of between six and 12 years following this conviction.

Experts anticipate this legal dispute will play a pivotal role in the presidential elections next May, given Uribe's status as the country's most prominent right-wing figure, and warn that the ruling could further exacerbate political polarization. Outside Bogota’s Paloquemao courthouse, where the verdict was delivered, supporters and opponents of Uribe engaged in several confrontations.

The case has also drawn significant attention from US political figures, who have expressed concern that Colombia's judicial system is being weaponized against the former president and have even threatened to cut financial aid to the country.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Uribe on his X account.

"Former Colombian President Uribe’s only crime has been to tirelessly fight and defend his homeland. The weaponization of Colombia’s judicial branch by radical judges has now set a worrisome precedent," he said.

Senator Bernie Moreno, also via his official X account, earlier in July voiced concern regarding the trajectory of Uribe's judicial case and its implications for the bilateral relationship between Colombia and the United States.

"Colombia needs to stop using its judicial system as a weapon against former President Alvaro Uribe. It is a very dangerous path for what should be one of the United States’ principal allies in Latin America," he said.