he former president of coalition party De la U and close ally of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, was called to trial for his alleged links with paramilitary groups.
The decision was upheld on appeal by the assistant Prosecutor General Fernando Pareja Reinemer.
“The initial ruling, issued by the prosecution’s delegate to the Supreme Court on 25 February 2009, was appealed by the ‘s defense,” Reinemer explained.
The politician has been in jail awaiting trial since July 2007 and will defend accusations of aggravated conspiracy.
The senator was implicated in statements by paramilitaries imprisoned in the Tolima department. They said that in 2001 the senator allegedly made a pact with paramilitaries to manage social investment projects in their areas of influence, in exchange for their political support in Congress. He won his seat with 30,662 votes in his favor.