The Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, called this Friday for the release of former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010), under house arrest since last week, whom he described as a “hero.”
(Read also: The curious homage of the Democratic Center to Álvaro Uribe)
“We respect Colombian institutions and their independence, but with former President Álvaro Uribe under house arrest, We join all freedom-loving voices around the world in asking Colombian officials to allow this Hero, who has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the United States, defend himself as a free man, “said Pence.
The vice president made this statement on Twitter after speaking with the Colombian president, Iván Duque ,.
“Today I spoke with our great ally, President Iván Duque of Colombia. The president, Donald Trump, and I appreciate our alliance for freedom in the hemisphere and our joint efforts to combat drug trafficking,” he said.
But, as Former President @AlvaroUribeVel is under house arrest, we join all freedom loving voices around the world in calling on Colombian officials to let this Hero, who is a recipient of the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, defend himself as a free man.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) August 14, 2020
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In the call between Pence and Duque, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, they talked about how they are dealing with covid-19, and the support of the United States for the country to face it, the situation of Venezuelan migrants, the fight against drug trafficking and security. in the hemisphere.
On August 4, the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia ordered Uribe’s house arrest for alleged procedural fraud and bribery of witnesses. This Wednesday, Uribe himself reported that he was reported as prisoner number 1,087,985 and insisted that it was actually the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who “bought” witnesses against him.
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Former President Álvaro Uribe himself notified the country that he had been reviewed.
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The case that has the former president in house arrest began in 2012 when he sued Senator Iván Cepeda for alleged manipulation of witnesses, who was preparing a complaint in Congress against him for links to paramilitarism.
But the process took an unexpected turn when the Supreme Court of Justice closed the case, while opening an investigation against the ex-president for manipulation of witnesses against Cepeda.
Uribe, who ruled Colombia between 2002 and 2010, He received the 2009 US Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-US President George W. Bush.
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