Colombia's Ex-President Uribe Faces Questioning Over 30-Year-Old Massacres

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez appeared before the Attorney General's Office in Bogota on Friday, September 4, 2026, to answer questions in an ongoing investigation. The probe concerns the massacres at La Granja and El Aro, two separate atrocities carried out by paramilitary groups approximately 30 years ago.

Uribe, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, spoke briefly to reporters upon his arrival at the prosecutor's office. The questioning marks a significant step in a case that has drawn renewed attention to human rights violations committed during Colombia's decades-long internal conflict.

The La Granja and El Aro massacres are among the most notorious incidents attributed to right-wing paramilitary forces in the 1990s. Investigators have been examining whether Uribe, who was governor of Antioquia province at the time of the killings, had any connection to or knowledge of the operations.

Uribe has consistently denied any involvement with paramilitary groups, though multiple investigations over the years have sought to establish the extent of political-military links during that turbulent period. The former leader's legal team has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

The appearance before prosecutors adds another chapter to Uribe's complex legal history, which has included previous investigations and court battles since leaving office. The case continues to resonate in Colombian politics, where questions of accountability for wartime atrocities remain deeply contested.