As ex-President Alvaro Uribe’s and members of his administration are investigated and even jailed over corruption and wiretapping scandals, politicians are increasingly negative about Uribe’s political future, Caracol Radio reported Monday.
Members of the opposition party Polo Democratico argued that Uribe had been dealt a significant blow by the prosecutions. “Uribe has already been weakened by the illegality of the Uribe model and the abuse of power under this model,” said Congressman Luis Carlos Avellaneda.
Politicians close to Uribe have acknowledged the effect of the prosecutions, but insisted that their party would still do well in the coming elections. “There are emotional and statistical shocks,” said Partido de la U congressman and loyal Uribista Roy Barreras, “but that does not mean that voters do not see that la U defends democratic security and prosperity.”
The Liberal Party has so far declined to comment on the effect of the scandals on Uribe’s popularity.
A poll release Sunday showed that Uribe’s approval rating dropped from 76% in November last year to 60% in July.
Lat week, Uribe’s former agricultural minister was jailed while on trial over corruption and on Saturday his chief of staff was jailed for his alleged role in the illegal wiretapping of government opponents. Several Uribe aides have been jailed for ties to paramilitary groups and the former President himself is investigated by a Congressional commission over his role in the illegal wiretapping of Supreme Court magistrates, journalists, human rights workers and opposition politicians.
