Paramilitaries supported Uribe in 2002 elections: clergy

[Judi Lynn]

Paramilitaries supported Uribe in 2002 elections: clergy
Friday, 18 February 2011 07:11
Adriaan Alsema

Paramilitaries in the north of Colombia actively promoted the candidacy of Alvaro Uribe for the 2002-2006 presidency, the leader of the local Jesuits said Thursday.

According to father Francisco de Roux he was personally approached by the now extradited top-paramilitary commander Salvatore Mancuso with the advise to vote for the former president.

The clergy added that he doesn't think Uribe had links to paramilitary organization AUC.

"I went to talk to Mancuso so he would leave the people in the region in peace and he asked me how I thought to vote for in the presidential elections. I responded that I didn't know and he told me I should vote for Uribe, because he was the best option," De Roux told a court while testifying against former Senator Luis Alberto Gil, one of Uribe former supporters in Congress, who is now on trial for his alleged ties to the paramilitaries.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/14451-paramilitaries-supported-uribe-in-2002-electios-clergy.html