Vargas Lleras denies Uribe’s angry Twitter accusations

Colombia’s Interior and Justice Minister denied President Alvaro Uribe’s angry Twitter charges following the minister’s claims that the ex-president’s administration abused its power to get public officials high-ranked positions in private enterprises.

Interior and Justice Minister German Vargas Lleras responded to a series of accusatory Tweets by Uribe with a communique, in which he stated that “in terms of the post that I actually carry and the functions that are given me to comply [with], I am sorry not to be able to participate in a debate of this nature,” local media reported Thursday.

However, he did deny Uribe’s angry charges with a biting response, stating, “the ex-president is, once more, misinformed, because not one of those acts that he declares are true.”

On Wednesday, Vargas Lleras accused former President Uribe’s administration of using its political power to secure its officials senior positions in the country’s private sector.

Uribe lashed back with Twitter posts in which he accused Vargas Lleras of being influenced by other political officials in his decision to elect Supreme Court Justice Augusto Ibañez and hinted at links between the minister and paramilitary groups.

The argument further widened a growing rift between the current and former administrations.

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