Colombia's Uribe hit by another political scandal (while awaiting Bush's FTA)

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Colombia's Uribe hit by another political scandal
Hugh Bronstein , Reuters
Published: Monday, April 21, 2008

BOGOTA (Reuters) - A former member of Colombia's Congress says she was offered illegal favors by the government to support an amendment that allowed President Alvaro Uribe to stand for re-election in 2006, a charge Uribe denied.

The attorney general on Monday opened an inquiry into Yidis Medina's accusation that the administration promised, but did not deliver, political favors in exchange for supporting the change in law.

The investigation comes on top of a scandal linking some of Uribe's closest political allies to far-right death squads and could further complicate passage of a U.S. free trade deal, which is being blocked by U.S. Democrats concerned about Uribe's human rights record.

In an interview conducted in 2004, but not released until late Sunday night, Medina told a journalist that administration officials offered her the chance to appoint members of three local commissions in her home province -- if she backed legislation allowing Uribe to run for another term.

At one meeting, she said, Uribe asked for her support and promised the government would honor its promises to her.



Read more: http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=9699c153-8281-402c-ad21-3b47b9118936&k=50556

[Judi Lynn]

1. Uribe has targeted the whistle blower for some rough sledding, considering when he targets people,

they start getting death threats, that is the ones who live to talk about it. Just ask the 6 people who organized the anti-paramilitary march earlier this month, if you've got an Ouija board!

From the article:

Uribe called for an investigation of reporter Daniel Coronell, who conducted the interview. Coronell, known for his critical coverage of the president, writes a column for Colombia's main weekly news magazine and also works for the Noticias Uno, or News One, television station.

"Everything indicates that the journalist and the interviewee talked previously about the questions and answers and held the video back until both believed it was the right time to air it," a presidential statement said.

Medina, a Conservative party member who was part of Uribe's coalition in the lower house of Congress, says during the interview that the video could be shown if she is killed or if the government fails to keep the promises it made to her.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Uribe Probed on Possible Illegal Favors in 2006 Re-Election Bid

Uribe Probed on Possible Illegal Favors in 2006 Re-Election Bid

By Joshua Goodman

April 21 (Bloomberg) -- Colombia's chief federal prosecutor has opened an investigation into charges that President Alvaro Uribe offered illegal favors to a congresswoman for her support of an amendment allowing him to seek re-election.

In an interview that aired yesterday, ex-lawmaker Yidis Medina said Uribe promised she could name supporters to several government posts if she voted for a constitutional amendment allowing him to seek another term. Medina said she gave Noticias Uno permission to air the 2004 interview because the promises were never kept.

Chief federal prosecutor Mario Iguaran said in a one- sentence statement today that he is investigating ``a possible crime of bribery and other illegal actions related to Medina's statements.''

The allegations comes after the Supreme Court began an investigation of two of Uribe's closest legislative allies for alleged ties to paramilitary groups, bringing to 62 the number of lawmakers embroiled in a growing scandal that may intensify calls for early congressional elections.

Over the weekend, before the video was broadcast, Uribe issued a statement saying he done nothing improper. He said the yet-unreleased video had been created to blackmail him.

More:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=9699c153-8281-402c-ad21-3b47b9118936&k=50556

[Judi Lynn]

3. Washington Post also ran the story.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/21/AR2008042101113.html

~snip~
The video's release came two days after the courts opened an investigation into Senate leader Nancy Gutierrez for possible connections to outlawed right-wing militias. More than 60 legislators, most from Uribe's coalition, have been caught up in the probe of paramilitary influence in Congress.

Wonder why they or any of the other corporate media haven't found it significant enough to share the information with us on the SIXTY LEGISLATORS, MOSTLY FROM URIBE'S COALITION who HAVE BEEN CAUGHT UP IN THE PROBE OF PARAMILITARY INFLUENCE IN CONGRESS?

Not that it would be any of our business, of course!

[Judi Lynn]

4. Photos of the whistleblower and two men she named as officials who offered her rewards

are in the thread I posted last night which got shot right back to the Latin America forum.

I believe what happens in the government _Bush is supporting with our tax dollars is very central to U.S. news at the moment, especially since the right-wing is attempting to villify Democrats in Congress who are resisting _Bush's huge FTA with Colombia, amid slurs, smears, imprecations.

The thread with photos is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x3612

[provis99]

5. but at least he's an honest leader, and not a dictator like Chavez!

sarcasm intended.

[Usrename]

7. Where are all those Chavez haters now?

Here's this guy Uribe, a real live modern despot, just begging for their criticism. What's up with that?

[Andrushka]

18. Damn straight

Guess without the word "Chavez" in the title, their posts fail to appear.

[PufPuf23]

6. Plan Columbia is a Can of Worms

Thank you for your posts about Latin America Judi Lynn.

Just realized today that I can recommend threads.

[Judi Lynn]

9. PufPuf23 , so glad you're watching these events with us!

Welcome to D.U. :hi: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[Judi Lynn]

8. For any DU'ers who are fluent Spanish speakers, here's a news clip from Colombian tv on this story:

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1514307378&channel=1274085121

Adding another newsclip in Spanish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVPhOwHqSng

[Judi Lynn]

10. Colombian paper runs statement by Uribe's government accusing reporter of falsifying interview.

This is the super clumsy Google translation tool version of an article which appeared in El Spectador. Any Spanish readers might be able to make more sense of the information from the article linked at the bottom:

April 18, 2008 - 9:15 PM
Government said that interviews Yiddish Medina was manipulated
The Executive issued a statement which says that "Daniel Coronell and Yiddish Medina have developed since August 2004, a video in which the former acting as a journalist and interviewer as the second parliamentary interviewed. Kar known so far, the interviewer induce answer. "

According to the communiqué, "all indications are that the journalist spoke with the previously interviewed on the questions and answers, and saved the video even when both interested consider is the time of broadcast." Add the text that "mobile video has been one of profit and favors government for the parliamentary vote was pretending to be purchased. The Government has nothing to hide in managing its policy of giving representation to parties Government ".

Finally, the Government requests the Prosecutor and the Office initiate immediate investigation compared the alleged facts:

This is the communiqué issued by the Government:

1. The government has information that Mr. Daniel Coronell and Yiddish Medina have developed since August 2004, a video in which the former acting as a journalist and interviewer as the second parliamentary interviewed. It is known so far, the interviewer induced responses, such as: Daniel Coronell Question: Is it to say, you stated that the President was in agreement with that Receiv (sic), which received charges in exchange for your vote?

2. Everything indicates that the journalist spoke with the previously interviewed on the questions and answers, and saved the video even when both interested consider is the time of broadcast.

3. Mobile video has been one of profit and favors government for the parliamentary vote was pretending to be purchased. The Government has nothing to hide in managing its policy of giving representation to parties in government.

4. Searching obtain contracts and appointments, the former parliament has tried that senior officials deviate from the guidelines expressly provide political representation to all segments of the bench Government, within the framework of transparency and honesty.

5. As there has been no appointments and contracts corrupt and clientelistic, parliamentary and journalist believe that "he has not been fulfilled promises and, consequently, the time has come to make public the recording of August 2004.

6. The government asked the Prosecutor and the Attorney General to initiate immediate investigation.

7. It is a matter of ethics committees of the media organizations, investigate the actions of those who give to manipulate and pervert the information with interviews agreed.

Bogota, April 18, 2008

Elespectador.com

http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/politica/articulo-gobierno-dice-entrevista-yidis-medina-pieza-clave-de-reeleccion-fue-manip

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the popular newspaper, El Tiempo ("Time") :

April 19, 2008

They manipulate interview with the former congressman Yiddish Medina accused the Presidency Daniel Coronell

In a video delivered this weekend One News, Coronell Medina asks if the President agreed with charges that she received in exchange for their votes in favor of re-election.

While the content of the interview is not yet known, the Casa de Nariño issued on Friday night in a communique stating that the interview was ready since August 2004 and Coronell "saved until the video when both interested consider when time of broadcast. "

The Government said that in the video, Coronell "acting as a journalist interviewer," and Yiddish Medina "as parliamentary interviewed" and accuses the journalist prompt replies.

La Casa de Nariño further states that "Mobile video has been one of profit and favors government for the parliamentary vote was pretending to be purchased" and clarifies that it has been transparent in the handling of the political representation of the parties.

"As there has been no appointments and contracts corrupt and clientelistic, parliamentary and the journalist believed that 'it has not kept promises and, consequently, the time has come to make public the recording of August 2004."

'We want to divert attention' Coronell

The journalist Daniel Coronell rejected assertions by the Casa de Nariño and assured that what the Government is seeking to divert attention to the content of the interview, "which is the offer of posts to a congressman in exchange for votes," said director News One by Caracol Radio.

Coronell also expressed surprise that the Government knew the contents of the interview and was reported in the communiqué on Friday, a direct quote of information.

However, a government source told TIME that heard the interview by the reporter from the Miami Herald, Gerardo Reyes.

Reyes sent on Friday to President Alvaro Uribe a questionnaire on this topic, which transcribed verbatim apart from the interview, with questions and answers Daniel Coronell of Yiddish Medina.

According to the Government, the sentence was outlined in the communiqué was extractó the questionnaire sent by Gerardo Reyes to the president of the republic.

Coronell accepted Caracol Radio that the video was recorded on August 8, 2004, but said that "when the video was recorded, it was agreed that the public would be if something happened to Yiddish Medina." It revealed that the congressman also warned that "if the Government does not comply I can publish video."

http://www.eltiempo.com/politica/2008-04-19/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-4109216.html

On edit:
This seems to be the original interview, recorded August, 8, 2004.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1514307369&channel=1274085121

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What journalist in his/her right mind would ever DREAM of manipulating an interview with a government official in a country where they have assassinated journalists at an astonishing rate, driving some who got the death threats to simply flee the country, and the rest, as has been admitted by Colombian journalists themselves, to SELF-CENSOR TO AVOID BEING KILLED as their means of hoping for survival!

[DCKit]

11. Uribe isn't making it easy for *.

With friends like these....

[JohnnyCougar]

12. Not surprising

Hopefully, that lady has some good bodyguards. Otherwise, Uribe's paramilitaries might "disappear" her.

[Judi Lynn]

13. Article on Yidis Media interview with journalist Daniel Coronell

from a Colombian news radio network:

Google translated article:



Journalist Daniel Coronell, Uribe.

Video from Yiddish Medina faces the government with the journalist Daniel Coronell
| 04/19/2008
executive faces again the director of One News, for a video that has not yet surfaced in public and that the excongresista Yiddish Medina demonstrate the government offers in exchange for their votes to approve the reappointment .

The government of Colombia said to have information that the journalist Daniel Coronell and former congressman Yiddish Medina acted in an interview in 2004, so that now the government is accused of having manipulated the re-election of President Uribe.

In a communique from the Casa de Nariño states that the performance in that interview looking pressing appointments and contracts with the government, "pretending that their vote (the Yiddish Medina) was purchased" at the time of the re-election vote.

This is the communiqué issued by Casa de Nariño last Friday April 18:

Communiqué

1. The government has information that Mr. Daniel Coronell and Yiddish Medina have developed since August 2004, a video in which the former acting as a journalist and interviewer as the second parliamentary interviewed. It is known so far, the interviewer induced responses, such as: Daniel Coronell Question: Is it to say, you stated that the President was in line with that received charges in exchange for your vote?

2. Everything indicates that the journalist spoke with the previously interviewed on the questions and answers, and saved the video even when both interested consider is the time of broadcast.

3. Mobile video has been one of profit and favors government for the parliamentary vote was pretending to be purchased. The Government has nothing to hide in managing its policy of giving representation to parties in government.

4. Searching obtain contracts and appointments, the former parliament has tried that senior officials deviate from the guidelines expressly provide political representation to all segments of the bench Government, within the framework of transparency and honesty.

5. As there has been no appointments and contracts corrupt and clientelistic, parliamentary and journalist believe that "he has not been fulfilled promises and, consequently, the time has come to make public the recording of August 2004.

6. The government asked the Prosecutor and the Attorney General to initiate immediate investigation.

7. It is a matter of ethics committees of the media organizations, investigate the actions of those who give to manipulate and pervert the information with interviews agreed.

Bogota, April 18, 2008

'The government seeks to divert attention from the video': Daniel Coronell

The journalist Daniel Coronell criticized the communiqué of the Casa de Nariño, which accuses him of manipulating the interview granted by the former parliamentary Yiddish Medina and said that seeks to divert attention compared to the content of the video that is seriously compromising the government.

Coronell said that it is a strategy that only repeated government seeks accuse the journalist to reveal information affecting the government.

"I think that the purpose of the communication is to divert attention from the real substance, which is the offer of posts to a congressman in exchange for votes, to turn it into a debate against the journalist who publishes information," added the journalist.

The director of One News told Caracol Radio it seemed surprising that, in the communiqué issued by the Casa de Nariño, to be used a direct quote from the video, because there were only two copies: the Yiddish and the newscast.

"On April 4 talk on the phone and I asked for a twenty-day period not to make public the video. I said that two weeks and so we agreed. That deadline expired yesterday, just when the government issued a communiqué, "emphasized Coronell.

The video in which the former congressman Yiddish Medina reveals front of a camera News One offers from the government in exchange for his vote to approve the reappointment, was recorded on August 8, 2004 in the presence of Cesar Guzman, adviser Yiddish; Patricia Uribe , a News reporter and Darius Torres, One News cameraman.

In dialogue with Caracol Radio, Coronell said that "when the video was recorded, it was agreed that the public would be if something happened to Yiddish Medina." But also stated that the former congressman Medina told him that "if the government does not comply I can publish video."

In the controversial recording, the former congressman Yiddish Medina mentioned to the secretary general of the presidency, Alberto Velasquez, the current Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio and Alvaro Uribe Velez, president of the republic.

In the video, the former congressman Medina relates that the promises started by Alberto Velasquez, general secretary of the presidency.

"When I arrived at the office, told me: not a doctor, ask what you need us we are going to comply, we need this bill passes," according to Daniel Coronell states in his column for the magazine Semana.

"With the Minister of Social Protection spoke, he also requested cooperation. Teodolindo He spoke more with that with me. But it also intervened in that decision," said Yiddish Medina in his statement to News One.

Another conversation that appears in the video is sustained with the president of the republic, Alvaro Uribe: "The President told me to please helped him, which was to look at this country, that what is spoken with Alberto Velasquez and commitments and what I call, talked and agreed it would be fulfilled, that he was a man of word, a man who was responsible. "

In the interview with the journalist Daniel Coronell, the former parliamentary also mentions the then Minister of the Interior and Justice, Sabas Pretelt de la Vega: "The order was given by the President who said it was the secretary-general and Dr. Sabas, said that over his dead body was needed to meet the government's commitments. "

The controversial video was recorded four years ago, has a duration of 39 minutes, was conducted with a single camera, and the issuance of One News will be issued tomorrow 9 minutes edited.

"It is time that the country knows the truth," said Coronell.

Spanish article:
http://www.glrnetworks.com/nota.asp?ia=2&id=581732

[Judi Lynn]

14. A google-translated article from "El Universal" on Medina and her interview with Coronell:

On interviews with former parliamentarians YIDIS Medina
There was no manipulation: Daniel Coronell
, COLPRENSA - Bogota


The Government and informative One News, was "engaged" in a controversy for the veracity of a video in which the former parliamentary Yidis Medina, alleged that received benefits to vote in favour of the presidential reelection.

In a statement to the House of Narino on Friday night the government argued that this video, which has not yet been issued, is a manipulation "intended patronage" of discrediting the presidential reelection, and stressed that the transparency of Government .

Knowing the press release, the director of One News, Daniel Coronell, denied that the interview, taped several years ago and only until this Sunday will see the spotlight had been manipulated and that the Government wants to hide "a truth for the purpose to divert the discussion ".

On Friday, the Press Secretary de Palacio issued a seven-point communiqué in which rejected the video, "the mobile video has been profit and government favors for parliamentary pretending that their vote was bought. The Government has nothing to hide in managing its policy of giving representation to parties in government. "

In the same way that affirms the interviewer induces responses from the former Congressman to read that the government benefits promised to vote for the presidential reelection.

The communiqué assured that at the time of re-election was not promised anything in the former parliament and that what she was looking for a client in the State.

Faced with this, and he asked the Palace "Prosecution and the Attorney General to initiate immediate" investigation "to find the mobile video.

Videos are filtered: Coronell

The journalist Daniel Coronell expressed discomfort by the Government's knowledge Some sections of the video and denied that this is a manipulation. In an interview with Caracol Radio, Coronell and said that seeks to divert attention compared to its content.

"I think that the purpose of the communiqué is divert attention from the real substance, which is offering posts to a congressman in exchange for votes, to become a debate against the journalist who publishes information," said Coronell.

He seems to suspect that the communiqué issued by Palace has appointments textual content of the interview because according to him, there are only two copies of the Yidis and the newscast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I reject the accusations": Medina
, COLPRENSA

The former congressman Yidis Medina rejected signs that the Casa de Narino from unionization, she and the journalist Daniel Coronel, of having "prepared, since August 2004, a video".

The term refers to as announced filmic document to be presented this Sunday at One News, in which the former congressman account what led her to tilt the balance her vote in favor of reelection.

"Let me make clear, compared to the statement that drew Palacio, who totally reject these accusations because I have no plot with the journalist Daniel Coronell," said Medina.

http://www.eluniversal.com.co/noticias/20080420/ctg_pol_no_hubo_manipulacion_daniel_coronell.html

[PufPuf23]

15. Synopsis and Good English link

http://www.borev.net/2008/04/princess_lallys_exclusive_urib.html


Princess Lally’s Exclusive Uribe Interview!

It’s almost impossible to keep up with all the blood splattered corruption coming out of Colombia every day, but lord knows we try. In the last few days alone, we learned that just about every ministry in President Alvaro Uribe’s cabinet has been infiltrated by right-wing death squad leaders, that he only got re-elected by bribing Congressmen to amend the constitution, and that even the U.S. Congress is finally expressing outrage that his government is “indirectly encouraging attacks against labor leaders by allowing a presidential adviser to link the victims to leftist rebels.”

So what luck that in the middle of all these revelations, The Washington Post’s heiress/editor-princess Lally Weymouth was granted an exclusive interview with Uribe! What an opportunity to probe the depths of the depravity of Bush’s best BFF! What a chance to ask the tough questions! Or not:

Q. Haven't you stuck your neck out to be a good U.S. ally in the war on terrorism and the war on drugs?

Q. Try to explain to the American people how important the Free Trade Agreement is to your country -- what it means in terms of growth and how damaging it would be to you, who have been a strong U.S. ally, if the agreement is rejected.

Q. You put so much on the line for an ally, and Washington doesn't come through for you?

Now that’s journalism! Now in her defense, Lally is more of a celebrity interviewer rather than a news reporter, so maybe it’s just her shtick to conduct cloying puffy-puff interviews rather than trying to get a story. Of course, her interviews with other Latin American leaders have been a slightly tougher:

Last October, in a sit down with Ecuador’s Rafael Correa she questioned his economic plan, with probers like:

Q. Why wouldn't it be smarter to attract foreign capital instead of using up public savings?
Comes off sort of cocky doesn’t it? Did I mention that Correa is a Ph.D. Economist? And like the President of a country? Two years earlier, she really got down in the dirt with Hugo Chavez with lots of befuddled questions- without-a-question-mark:

Q: Experts in Washington claim you are encouraging radical groups throughout Latin America — that you're helping the FARC in Colombia, Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, Shafik Handal and the FMLN in El Salvador, and Evo Morales and the MAS in Bolivia.
Yes, Lally. Elected Presidents Ortega and Morales are “radical groups.” Note to other “media families.” This kind of crap is what happens when you just give your kid a newspaper company.

[Judi Lynn]

16. Wow! Now that's some hard hitting, brilliant journalism, isn't it? Where DOES she get the time

to be that informed, and still have time left over to do the things that matter?





You've alerted us to a real media star, PufPuf23! I'm sure Uribe came away a more cautious, serious man, after the rigorous interview she brought to him. Brava, Princess Lally! Or maybe not!

[Peace Patriot]

17. Now we understand why they dissed Chavez for putting his term to a vote of the people!

Uribe takes his cues from the Bush Junta. And what Bushites do is putrid media psyops blaming others for their own crimes, in advance of any exposes, scandals and investigative reports (and potential prosecutions).

Was Bush a drunk, a drug addict and AWOL from his National Guard service during the Vietnam War? Get the "swift-boaters" out there, in advance of CBS/Dan Rather's expose, saying that Kerry didn't deserve his medals. (And worse--sabotage the investigation of Bush's AWOL, and get RATHER fired!)

Is the Bush Junta shredding the Constitution, torturing prisoners, holding prisoners without trial, spying on their political opponents, blackmailing everybody in Washington DC, gagging librarians, their spouses, their families, their lawyers and the judges in their courtrooms, to shut them up about Bush spying on the reading habits of the American people, abducting people in other countries and flying them to secret torture chambers in eastern Europe, slaughtering 1.2 million innocent people to get their oil, and committing heinous crimes from one end of the earth to the other? Get their lapdog corporate news monopolies to call Hugo Chavez a "dictator."

After all, he wants to be "president for life." No matter that, in Venezuela, it's up to the people--in elections that put our own to shame for their transparency. No matter that our own FDR ran for and won four terms in office, because, hey, the people thought he was doing some good.

Chavez--who has harmed no one, invaded no one, jailed no one unfairly, and has been running a scrupulously lawful and beneficial government for ten years--gets called a "dictator" because he puts his continuance in office to A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE--while Bush's pal, Uribe, bribes, bullies, lies, arm twists, kneecaps and kills his way into a second and a third term, hangs with the sadists and vampires who chainsaw union leaders and toss their body parts into mass graves, and slit children's throats on suspicion of their parents being leftists, and he gets touted as the hope for "democracy" in South America.

But it is because of Uribe's crimes that they lie about Chavez. The lies about others are the cover for their crimes--the flak, the bullshit, the disinformation, the psyops that they parade through the lapdog corporate press as a voodoo distraction.

Is Uribe running a mafia operation (complete with major drug trafficking) to stay in office, as the Bush Cartel's go-to guy in South America (as he was the Medellin Cartel's go-to guy in his early career)? Call Chavez a "dictator." Call Chavez a "terrorist-lover." Call Chavez and all his allies--the democratically elected leftist leaders of half a dozen other countries (Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Nicaragua)--variously drug traffickers, bribe-takers, "terrorist-lovers" and tyrants. Keep the flak going with absurd Bush-CIA dirty tricks--the absurdity doesn't matter, cuz it is the whisper that is desired. The cover. The confusion. The demoralizing, unconscious whisper that "everybody does it"--when the truth is that, no, everybody doesn't. Some leaders don't kill hundreds of thousands of children to get their oil. Some leaders are decent people. Some leaders are actually elected. Some leaders don't need to bribe, bully, torture and spy on others to stay in office.