Colombia’s Supreme Court Thursday slammed a proposal by coalition party De la U to disallow the court to prosecute congressmen. The court says the Uribistas are seeking impunity.
The Partido de la U Wednesday proposed to form a special tribunal to prosecute lawmakers and magistrates. According to the coalition party, there is a conflict of competence now that the Supreme Court is allowed to investigate (former) lawmakers and Congress is allowed to prosecute (former) magistrate.
The Court rejects the initiative and accuses the coalition party of seeking impunity for colleagues who are currently being investigated by the court for their alleged ties to paramilitary death squads.
“What they are seeking is impunity. The court has complied and will comply with all its competences and has given all guarantees,” Supreme Court magistrate Jaime Arrubla told radio station LA FM.
“What is unbelievable is that a sickness is detected in some of their members of Congress and they want to reform those who detected it,” the magistrate added.
Arrubla warned the move would be received negatively by the international community and is an attack on the independence of the Supreme Court and Colombia’s democracy.
The Supreme Court has clashed regularly with the Uribe administration and the government coalition in Congress on the investigation of dozens of lawmakers who are suspected to have used paramilitary support to be voted into Congress.
