Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Faces Inquiry Over Alleged Paramilitary Links

Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez appeared before the Prosecutor General's Office on September 4, 2026, for an inquiry regarding his alleged involvement in paramilitary violence in Antioquia between 1996 and 1998. The investigations focus on three primary legal files: the massacres of El Aro and La Granja in Ituango, the murder of human rights defender Jesús María Valle Jaramillo, and the creation of paramilitary structures in San Roque. Specifically, investigators are examining if Uribe, who served as governor of Antioquia during that period, promoted these armed groups or if the family estate, Hacienda Guacharacas, was used as a base for paramilitary operations.

Before entering the proceedings, Uribe denied the allegations, stating that he has not been a killer and asserting that he did not participate in the creation of paramilitary groups. He claimed that the accusations were promoted by former President Gustavo Petro. His defense team, led by lawyer Jaime Granados, previously requested a postponement of the inquiry. The defense argued that the Constitutional Court should first determine whether the Prosecutor's Office or the Commission of Accusation holds jurisdiction and requested more time to evaluate recent testimony from former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso.

Mancuso has alleged in judicial proceedings and interviews that the Governor's Office under Uribe provided instructions for the El Aro massacre. While the center-left framing emphasizes the long-standing impunity of these crimes and the keys to the investigation, the center-right framing focuses on the legal maneuvers of the defense and the specific statements made by Uribe regarding political persecution.