Ex-Colombia ministers convicted of bribes on behalf of Uribe

Ex-Colombia ministers convicted of bribes on behalf of Uribe
By JACOBO GARCIA Associated Press2:57 p.m.April 15, 2015

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's Supreme Court convicted two close aides of former President Alvaro Uribe on Wednesday of bribing lawmakers to support the conservative leader's 2006 re-election.

Former Interior Minister Sabas Pretelt and Social Protection Minister Diego Palacio were each sentenced to more than six years in jail.

A former congresswoman in 2008 accused the Uribe aides of offering her favors and political appointments in exchange for supporting the lifting of a constitutional ban on presidential re-election. The legislation was approved and Uribe became the first Colombian president in over 100 years to stand for re-election, winning easily thanks to his U.S.-backed military offensive against leftist rebels.

The congresswoman, Yidis Medina, was a Uribe supporter but revealed her misgivings in a 2008 interview, saying the president's aides failed to deliver on a promise to name allies to key administrative positions.

Uribe is being looked at in the same case by a congressional committee responsible for investigating former presidents.

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