Colombia’s former ambassador in Italy, Sabas Pretelt de la Vega, denied having sought asylum in Costa Rica, according to La Fm.
In an the interview Pretelt de la Vega said he hasn’t asked for political asylum in Costa Rica, but he fears for his life because he has been accused of bribing congressmen to secure the 2006 re-election of then President Alvaro Uribe.
The former ambassador said that he believes he has no need “to protect [himself] against the Colombian justice and I am not going to do it.” He says that he has asked for a hearing to provide the Supreme Court with evidence to prove his innocence.
The ambassador of Costa Rica in Colombia, Edgar Ugalde Alvarez, stated he didn’t receive any request to for asylum from a former Colombian official. Ugalde Alvarez said that “Costa Rica has not granted or approved applications for political asylum of former Colombian officials,” reported RCN Radio.
Pretelt de la Vega was banned from public office in August over accusations of bribery.
