The Colombian Supreme Court has issued an arrest warrant for Senator
Alirio Villamizar Afanador, vice-president of the nation’s Conservative Party.
The senator is being investigated for receiving government bribes for his vote to re-elect President Alvaro Uribe.
One of the key indicators leading investigators to believe that Villamizar Afanador was selling his vote was the 730 million pesos (about $USD350,000) found at his residence in Bucaramanga near the Venezuelan border. The money was discovered during recent raids ordered by the Supreme Court.
Investigations of the vice-president began after accusations were leveled against him by Manuel Cuello Baute, former Superintendent of Notaries and Registries.
According to Cuello Baute, the senator was involved in the irregular delivery of notaries in exchange for votes in favor of President Uribe’s reelection.
Senator Villamizar Afanador will have to answer to the authorities regarding the large sums of cash found in his residence and the bribes that he has allegedly received.