The prosecutor investigating Colombia’s former President Alvaro Uribe jailed a university rector on bogus charges as part of plot orchestrated by Uribe aides with paramilitary ties.
Prosecutor General Francisco Barbosa, who appointed Gabriel Ramon Jaimes, ignored the prosecutor’s alleged abuse of power to favor criminals, which could make Barbosa look like an utterly corrupt or incompetent tool.
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Carlos Caicedo
According to Barbosa, Jaimes previously worked on “notable cases in Colombia” before being appointed to investigate Uribe.
Colombia Reports could find only one case, which was notable only because Jaimes jailed Magdalena Governor Carlos Caicedo in 2006 in a political persecution conspiracy orchestrated by a jailed former governor and jailed intelligence officials who took part in Uribe’s 2002 presidential campaign were imprisoned for their paramilitary ties.
The prosecutor’s patron is Colombia’s far-right ambassador to the Organization of American States, Alejandro Ordoñez, who is mainly infamous for abusing his power to illegally dismiss opposition Senator Gustavo Petro when the leftist was mayor of Bogota.
The embassy of the United States told newspaper El Espectador that Jaimes’ visa has been revoked, but wouldn’t say why.
Notwithstanding, Barbosa claimed that the prosecutor “has the experience and institutional recognition in the advancement of cases of great connotation,” without bursting into laughter.
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Prosecutor General Francisco Barbosa
Whether Barbosa’s attempt to appoint a allegedly corrupt prosecutor before the Supreme Court rules over the prosecutor general’s alleged conflict of interest in the Uribe case initially depended on the Supreme Court.
If the court agrees with the victim of Uribe’s alleged fraud and bribery practices, Senator Ivan Cepeda, the court will appoint a special prosecutor.
The fact that Jaimes took part in an “orchestrated political persecution” plot with, among others, Uribe’s former intelligence chief increases the chances the controversial prosecutor is removed from the case.
Even before appointing the allegedly corrupt prosecutor, Barbosa’s first half a year in office has been a major tragicomedy that has destroyed whatever was left of the credibility of the prosecution. which has been led by at least four alleged criminals since 2001.
