Uribe ally convicted for paramilitary ties

[Judi Lynn]

Uribe ally convicted for paramilitary ties
Monday, 27 September 2010 13:22
Adriaan Alsema

http://colombiareports.com.nyud.net:8090/pics/politics/ruben_dario_quintero.jpg

Colombia's Supreme Court on Monday convicted ex-congressman Ruben Dario Quintero, an ally of former President Alvaro Uribe, for ties to paramilitary groups.

Cambio Radical politician Ruben Dario Quintero was convicted by the Supreme Court for "conspiracy to commit a crime" for his ties to paramilitary groups in the department of Antioquia led by Freddy Rendon, alias "El Aleman."

El Aleman, the former commander of the AUC's Elmer Cardenas bloc, claimed that he financed Quintero's 2002 election campaign.

Before his 1998 election into Colombia's House of Representatives, Quintero served as private secretary to Alvaro Uribe between 1995 and 1997 when the latter was governor of Antioquia.