Colombian congressman Ivan Cepeda said Wednesday he has recently submitted evidence that suggests former president Alvaro Uribe’s two sons had ties with former paramilitaries.
Cepeda wrote on his blog that he recently visited former paramilitary leader Jose Gelvez Albarracin, alias “El Canoso,” in jail. During a recorded interview, El Canoso admitted that the two sons of former President Alvaro Uribe had business with paramilitaries in Santa Marta.
On the tape, El Canoso allegedly talks about meetings between paramilitaries “Hernan Giraldo” and “Jorge 40,” with Tomas and Jeronimo Uribe regarding investments in Santa Marta’s Tayrona National Park. According to the evidence submitted by Cepeda, the sons were directed by their father to buy shares in the business after finding out that paramilitaries were involved.
The congressman also released a photograph which depicts Tomas and Jeronimo sitting with Wilmer Perez, the former mayor of coastal city San Antero and demobilized paramilitary leader.
Uribe responded by calling Cepeda a “moral assassin” and a “coward” on his Twitter page.
“Moral assasin Ivan Cepeda is an enemy of democratic security, collaborating with criminal prisoners to defame my sons.”
This is not the first time that Uribe’s sons have been accused of maintaining relationships with paramilitary leaders.
Cepeda is a member of opposition party Polo Democratico and chairman of the National Movement of Victims of State Crimes.