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Miami HeraldUribe cousin quits Senate amid accusations
Posted on Thu, Oct. 04, 2007
BY JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press
BOGOTA -- Sen. Mario Uribe, the second cousin and key congressional ally of Colombia's president, resigned Thursday to prepare his defense against accusations he collaborated with right-wing paramilitary groups.
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Colombia's Supreme Court last week formally launched an investigation against Uribe, making him the latest in a list of nearly 40 lawmakers -- the vast majority allies of President Alvaro Uribe -- to have been implicated in the snowballing ''para-politics'' scandal.
To date, 14 congressmen have been jailed for receiving electoral support, siphoning off state funds and even plotting the murder of political rivals with the militias, which are classified as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States.
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The president and his second cousin together founded the Colombia Democrática party in 1985 in their home state of Antioquia and the party has since expanded nationally, lifted by the popularity of the country's conservative leader.
Colombia Democrática has five seats in Congress -- the party will name a replacement to take Uribe's Senate seat -- although all three of the party's senators voted into office in 2006 have now been linked to the scandal and two are in jail. One of its lower house members is also in jail.
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/260603.html
Senator Mario UribeColombia: President’s cousin investigated for paramilitary links
Colombia's Supreme Court stared an investigation against a cousin of President Alvaro Uribe over alleged links to right-wing paramilitary groups. Senator Mario Uribe (image)- who is also head of a political party loyal to the president- was signaled as having met and allied with the paramilitaries according to former leaders.
The “para-politics" scandal has been a massive thorn in the side of president Uribe and his allies. Approximately a month ago, the president was caught on video meeting with a former paramilitary leader, while the government recently admitted that thousands of demobilized paramilitary members have formed new criminal groups.
http://ourlatinamerica.blogspot.com/2007/07/colombia-presidents-cousin-investigated.html
Alvaro Uribe and friend