Another Colombian Senator to Trial
Bogota, Jul 30 (Prensa Latina) Colombian Senator Guillermo Gaviria, of
the Liberal Party, was called by the Supreme Court of Justice on
Wednesday, as part of a paramilitary scandal in this South American
country.
Two years after the scandal burst out, due to links between
politicians and illegal paramilitary forces, there are now 68 public
officials arrested or under investigation.
Colombian RCN television station reported that the Supreme Court has
evidence, according to which former paramilitary chief Julian Bolivar
had given Gaviria money for votes.
Testimonies said Gaviria met delegates representing Bolivar to agree
the money contribution, a reason for which he is accused of illegal
enrichment.
The Supreme Court warned that though Julian Bolivar had already
demobilized from paramilitary groups, he had still looked for
candidates to guarantee support in the Colombian Congress.
Experts said Gaviria studies the possibility to resign his post as a
senator in the Congress, something that would let him be tried by the
Colombian General Prosecutor Office, and not by the Supreme Court.
The scandal got stronger last week when Carlos Garcia, president of
Colombian Partido Social de Unidad Nacional, supporting President
Alvaro Uribe, was arrested by order of the Supreme Court.
Garcia is making his statements since Monday at the Supreme Criminal
Court, and he might be related to the paramilitary organization
Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia in the department of Tolima.
His arrest was considered a hard blow to the followers of Alvaro
Uribe, and brought his party into a crisis.
