Uribe claims that trial against him is politically motivated and lacks evidence

Bogotá, Apr 10 (EFE).- Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010) said Wednesday that the trial he will be called to on charges of bribing witnesses in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud is politically motivated and lacks evidence against him.

HANDOUT IMAGES COURTESY OF HIS YOUTUBE PROFILE.

Transcript: They want and need to equate those of us who have defended democracy and the law with criminals, where is the evidence against me? They have no evidence to deny that Dr. Andres Arias told me in a court of law in the United States that in the prison where he was, people extradited by my government said that the case against my brother was a revenge for the extradition. Did I initiate the matter to Dr. Andres Arias? They have no way of denying that Dr. Abelardo de la Espriella, at my request, simply confirmed those versions with the prisoners. Did I manipulate Dr. de la Espriella? They do not have a single proof to say that I initiated or manipulated the Miami prisoners. These people in a document apostilled by the Colombian Consulate offered the Prosecutor's Office to testify about the case of my brother and about the murder of Dr. Alvaro Gomez Hurtado, which is in impunity, just as Odebrecht's financing of Santos is also in impunity. I claim that those statements were never received by justice.