The Accusations Committee of Colombia’s Congress on Monday appointed a successor of the representative that resigned from the investigation against former President Alvaro Uribe’s alleged role in the illegal wiretapping of government opponents.
Cambio Radical Representative Camilo Andres Abril will take the place of Conservative Party Representative Alfredo Bocanegra, who resigned after remarks that would show a bias against the former president.
The three-person commission is investigating if Uribe carries any responsibility for the illegal wiretapping of Supreme Court magistrates, political opponents, journalists and human rights workers by a secret unit within the DAS, the state intelligence agency that responds directly to the Presidency.
Uribe’s former chief of staff and oen of the former directors of the DAS have been charged by the Prosecutor General’s Office with ordering the wiretaps. Because Uribe’s alleged crimes were committed as president he can only be investigated by Congress.