Mario Uribe Escobar
Encyclopedia
Mario de Jesús Uribe Escobar (born in 1949) is a Colombia
n politician and lawyer. Uribe-Escobar graduated in Law
from the Autonomous University of Medellín and the University of Antioquia
.
in representation of Antioquia, serving from 1986 to 1994, in which he was Vice President of the Chamber between 1990 and 1991 and worked as member and president of the Investigations and Accusations Commission. In 1994 Uribe-Escobar was elected to the Senate of Colombia
and served until October 2007. Uribe-Escobar quit the Senate after receiving a notification from the Attorney General of Colombia
calling him to testify on regards to the Parapolitics scandal
. He was President of the Senate of Colombia
from July 20, 2000 to July 20, 2001.
In 2003 Uribe-Escobar participated in the foundation of the Democratic Colombia Party
which was the base of the former Sector Democrático movement. Uribe-Escobar was considered one the most important allies of President of Colombia
and cousin; Álvaro Uribe
.
, Uribe-Escobar was first mentioned by Jairo Castillo Peralta aka "Pitirri" who was a former member of the paramilitary group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC) and was a personal bodyguard of former politician Álvaro García Romero also implicated in the scandal for mingling with paramilitaries. From his exile in Canada
, Casatillo-Peralta said that Uribe-Escobar had met with AUC top commanders in northern Colombia to negotiate cheaper land in the region of Caucasia
and in the Department of Sucre. Uribe-Escobar responded to this saying that he did not have any land in Caucasia or Sahagún but he did have land of his property between the towns of Sahagún
and Ciénaga de Oro
in the Department of Córdoba which were acquired in 1991.
confessed during a court session that he had met with Uribe-Escobar in two occasions with the purpose of forming a political coalition with then Senator of Colombia, Eleonora Pineda for the Colombian legislative election, 2002
. Mancuso said that he had asked Pineda to introduce him. Pineda was later accepted into the Democratic Colombia Party, but before the Colombian presidential election, 2006
Pineda was expelled.
found enough merits and evidence to issue an arrest warrant against Uribe-Escobar without a right to pay a fine. Uribe-Escobar was syndicated of "concert to commit crimes" consisting on agreeing to promote illegal armed groups. He had been accused by the Supreme Court but since Uribe-Escobar had renounced from his post as senator, ordinary justice could put him on trial. After receiving the notification Uribe-Escobar announced to the Colombian authorities that he was going to surrender voluntarily and comply with the mandate of the Attorney General of Colombia.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n politician and lawyer. Uribe-Escobar graduated in Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
from the Autonomous University of Medellín and the University of Antioquia
University of Antioquia
The University of Antioquia , also called UdeA, is a public, departmental, coeducational, research university based primarily in the city of Medellín, Antioquía, Colombia. It is the largest higher education institution by student population in the northwest of the country, and the second in...
.
Political career
He began his political career as councilman of his hometown; the municipality of Andes, Department of Antioquia. Between 1982 and 1986 served as deputy of the Department Assembly of Antioquia and then to the Chamber of Representatives of ColombiaChamber of Representatives of Colombia
The Chamber of Representatives is the lower house of the Congress of Colombia.The Chamber has 166 elected members for four-year terms.-How the Chamber is elected:...
in representation of Antioquia, serving from 1986 to 1994, in which he was Vice President of the Chamber between 1990 and 1991 and worked as member and president of the Investigations and Accusations Commission. In 1994 Uribe-Escobar was elected to the Senate of Colombia
Senate of Colombia
The Senate of the Republic of Colombia is the upper house of the Congress of Colombia, with the lower house being the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia...
and served until October 2007. Uribe-Escobar quit the Senate after receiving a notification from the Attorney General of Colombia
Attorney General of Colombia
The Office of the Attorney General of Colombia is the Colombian institution part of the Colombian judicial branch of Government with administrative autonomy designed to prosecute offenders, investigate crimes, review judicial processes and accuse penal law infractions against judges and courts of...
calling him to testify on regards to the Parapolitics scandal
Colombian parapolitics scandal
The Colombian parapolitics scandal or "parapolítica" in Spanish refers to the 2006–present Colombian congressional scandal in which several congressmen and other politicians have been indicted for suspicions of colluding with the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia , a paramilitary group which...
. He was President of the Senate of Colombia
Senate of Colombia
The Senate of the Republic of Colombia is the upper house of the Congress of Colombia, with the lower house being the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia...
from July 20, 2000 to July 20, 2001.
In 2003 Uribe-Escobar participated in the foundation of the Democratic Colombia Party
Democratic Colombia Party
The Democratic Colombia Party is a political party in Colombia. The party took part in the parliamentary elections of 2006, in which it won 2 out of 166 deputies and 3 out of 100 senators....
which was the base of the former Sector Democrático movement. Uribe-Escobar was considered one the most important allies of President of Colombia
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
and cousin; Álvaro Uribe
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
.
Alleged meeting with paramilitaries
In relation to the Colombian parapolitics scandalColombian parapolitics scandal
The Colombian parapolitics scandal or "parapolítica" in Spanish refers to the 2006–present Colombian congressional scandal in which several congressmen and other politicians have been indicted for suspicions of colluding with the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia , a paramilitary group which...
, Uribe-Escobar was first mentioned by Jairo Castillo Peralta aka "Pitirri" who was a former member of the paramilitary group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia was created as an umbrella organization of regional far-right...
(AUC) and was a personal bodyguard of former politician Álvaro García Romero also implicated in the scandal for mingling with paramilitaries. From his exile in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Casatillo-Peralta said that Uribe-Escobar had met with AUC top commanders in northern Colombia to negotiate cheaper land in the region of Caucasia
Caucasia, Antioquia
Caucasia is a municipality located in the subregion of Bajo Cauca Antioquia department, in Colombia. Bounded on the north by the department of Córdoba, in the east by the municipalities of Antioquia in Nechí and El Bagre, on the south by the municipality of Zaragoza, and west to the town of...
and in the Department of Sucre. Uribe-Escobar responded to this saying that he did not have any land in Caucasia or Sahagún but he did have land of his property between the towns of Sahagún
Sahagún, Córdoba
Sahagún is a town and municipality located in the Córdoba Department, northern Colombia.-References:...
and Ciénaga de Oro
Ciénaga de Oro
Ciénaga de Oro is a town and municipality located in the Córdoba Department, northern Colombia....
in the Department of Córdoba which were acquired in 1991.
Testimony of Salvatore Mancuso
Imprisoned AUC paramilitary leader Salvatore MancusoSalvatore Mancuso
Salvatore Mancuso Gómez, also known as "el Mono Mancuso","Santander Lozada" or "Triple Cero", among other names is a Colombian paramilitary leader, once second in command of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia paramilitary group...
confessed during a court session that he had met with Uribe-Escobar in two occasions with the purpose of forming a political coalition with then Senator of Colombia, Eleonora Pineda for the Colombian legislative election, 2002
Colombian legislative election, 2002
Legislative elections were held in Colombia on 10 March 2002. They were won by the Colombian Liberal Party....
. Mancuso said that he had asked Pineda to introduce him. Pineda was later accepted into the Democratic Colombia Party, but before the Colombian presidential election, 2006
Colombian presidential election, 2006
The 2006 Colombian presidential election was held on 28 May 2006. Álvaro Uribe was re-elected as President of the Republic and will serve another four-year term, starting on 7 August 2006...
Pineda was expelled.
Arrest warrant
A Delegated Attorney to the Supreme Court of ColombiaSupreme Court of Colombia
The Supreme Court of Colombia in Bogotá is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure in Colombia...
found enough merits and evidence to issue an arrest warrant against Uribe-Escobar without a right to pay a fine. Uribe-Escobar was syndicated of "concert to commit crimes" consisting on agreeing to promote illegal armed groups. He had been accused by the Supreme Court but since Uribe-Escobar had renounced from his post as senator, ordinary justice could put him on trial. After receiving the notification Uribe-Escobar announced to the Colombian authorities that he was going to surrender voluntarily and comply with the mandate of the Attorney General of Colombia.