Colombia allegedly pushes US to grant Uribe immunity

[Judi Lynn]

Colombia allegedly pushes US to grant Uribe immunity

Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Luján has requested that the United States grant immunity to former Álvaro Uribe, according to Colombia Reports and La FM.

“The request is exceptional, because generally this type of immunity is granted to present heads of state, not former heads of state,” Colombia Reports‘ Adriaan Alsema added.

Uribe, the former president of Colombia who was invited to lecture on campus this year, was subpoenaed in early November to appear at a civil trial against Drummond Coal. However, he did not testify, not appear at the courthouse. According to the National Catholic Reporter, plantiffs in the case believe that Uribe may have known about a deal cut between Drummond and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia, a paramilitary group.

Luján, who was Colombia’s Minister of National Defense until Uribe’s term ended last summer, became Colombia’s ambassador to the United States in October.

http://blog.georgetownvoice.com/2010/12/08/colombia-allegedly-pushes-us-to-grant-uribe-immunity/