Álvaro Uribe

Álvaro Uribe, born on July 4, 1952, is a prominent Colombian lawyer, writer, and politician who served as the 32nd President of Colombia from August 7, 2002, to August 7, 2010. He is the leader of the right-wing political party Democratic Center and has had a significant impact on Colombian politics throughout his career.

Uribe's political journey began in his home department of Antioquia, where he held various positions, including roles in the Public Enterprises of Medellín and the Ministry of Labor. He was appointed as the director of the Special Administrative Unit of Civil Aeronautics from 1980 to 1982 and later became the Mayor of Medellín in October 1982. His political ascent continued as he served as a senator from 1986 to 1994 and as the Governor of Antioquia from 1995 to 1997.

Upon his election as President, Uribe initiated a vigorous military campaign against terrorist organizations such as the FARC and the ELN, supported by a substantial foreign aid package known as 'Plan Colombia,' amounting to two point eight billion dollars. His administration also focused on demobilizing the right-wing paramilitary group AUC, although it faced serious allegations regarding human rights violations, particularly the 'false positives' scandal involving the deaths of thousands of civilians.

After his presidency, Uribe continued to influence Colombian politics, founding the Democratic Center movement in 2012 and serving as a senator after being elected in 2014. He was critical of his successor Juan Manuel Santos's peace negotiations with the FARC. However, his political career faced challenges, including an arrest order from the Supreme Court of Justice in August 2020 related to bribery and witness tampering, leading to his resignation from the Senate. Although he was convicted in July 2025, the ruling was overturned on appeal in October 2025.