Colombia's prosecution orders archiving of investigation into former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez

The Office of the Attorney General, which serves as Colombia's prosecution service, ordered the archiving of an investigation into former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez on November 12, 2026. The investigation involved allegations of bribery in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud. The 47-page resolution was issued by Sandra Helena Portilla Constain, a prosecutor delegated before the Supreme Court of Justice.

Details of the investigation

The investigation was based on allegations that former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez pressured or paid former paramilitaries to testify against Senator Iván Cepeda Castro. The allegations suggested that witnesses were influenced to change their testimony regarding alleged links between the Uribe brothers and the Bloque Metro of the self-defense forces. One witness, Pablo Hernán Sierra García, had previously alleged that $300 million was offered to witnesses.

During the process, the prosecution conducted financial and asset traces involving several entities, including the DIAN, Cifin, the Central Bank of Colombia (Banco de la República), and the Superintendency of Notaries and Registry. The financial analysis determined that real estate transactions involving Gabriel Muñoz Ramírez in Cimitarra, Santander, were legitimate business deals. The prosecution concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish the existence of the alleged bribery. Additionally, officials determined that the allegations regarding procedural fraud had already been subject to judicial review in a previous oral trial, case number 202000276.

Legal background and reactions

The investigation originated in February 2018 following a decision by the Criminal Cassation Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. According to reports from La Libertad, the investigation was linked to a complaint filed by Álvaro Uribe Vélez against Iván Cepeda Castro on February 23, 2012.

The Centro Democrático political party issued a statement supporting the decision and claimed that the truth prevailed, stating that the accusations against Iván Cepeda Castro collapsed due to a lack of evidence. Defense attorney Jaime Granados stated, "It takes justice almost 10 years to correct paths that others have twisted." Álvaro Uribe Vélez stated that the decision complements his acquittal by the Bogotá Superior Court.

Future implications

The decision to archive the case was made under Article 79 of Law 906 of 2004. This legal framework allows for the archiving of a case when there is no evidence of a crime. However, the resolution allows for the reopening of the case if new evidence emerges while the criminal action remains valid.

Glossary

• Centro Democrático — The Centro Democrático is a political party. It issued a statement regarding the decision to archive a legal case.
• Bloque Metro — Bloque Metro was an independent paramilitary group that operated in the Antioquia area. It was formed by Carlos Mauricio García after he fell into disgrace within the AUC.
• paramilitaries — Paramilitaries are members of paramilitary organizations who may have committed serious crimes. In Colombia, they have been subject to legal frameworks like the Justice and Peace law for demobilization.
• DIAN — The DIAN (Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia) is the agency responsible for managing and controlling tax, customs, and exchange obligations. It uses the RUT to identify and classify subjects of these obligations.
• Banco de la República — The Banco de la República is the Central Bank of Colombia. It is an entity involved in financial and asset traces during legal investigations.