In response to claims put forth by a Colombian congressman, ex-President Alvaro Uribe’s son Jeronimo said Thursday that “the testimony put forth by a [former military leader], who doesn’t know us, is plagued with lies.”
In a press statement published on his father’s website, Jeronimo rebutted claims by Colombian congressman Ivan Cepeda who had said Wednesday that he had recently submitted evidence to prosecutors that suggest that former president Alvaro Uribe’s two sons had ties with former paramilitaries, after speaking with Jose Gelvez Albarracin, alias “El Canoso,” in jail.
Cepeda said a business run by Uribe’s sons, Tomas and Jeronimo, received supplies from a company run by that a councilor of the city of Santa Marta who was allegedly elected by paramilitary votes.
Jeronimo said that El Canoso spoke of “fake meetings and false intentions, the most absurd and impossible to test,” adding that they had never met paramilitary leader “Hernan Giraldo” as claimed by Cepeda.
Also, Uribe’s son clarified that “we have never had indication that [former Santa Marta council member Ignacio] Mr. Rodriguez was connected with illicit activities or illegal groups. The only encounter that they have had was a walk in Tayrona park, in broad daylight, where we were surrounded by many people, including the mayor of the City of Santa Marta, who can all completely trust in Mr. Rodriguez and have faith in the reputation that proceeds him.”
The young Uribe did not respond to the publication of a photo of him and a brother embracing demobilized paramilitary leader “Wilmer Perez.”