VaritoThe International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating Alvaro Uribe, President of Colombia between 2002 and 2010, for massacres occurred during his term that not been properly addressed by Colombian justice.

According to Antonio Albiñana in Publico.es, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda is leading the investigation into the so-called “false positives”, the murders of defenseless peasants presented as guerrillas killed in combat.

Publico says that more than 3,000 cases identified by the Colombian Justice Deparment reached the ICC: “There are reasonable grounds to believe that it was State policy: murders, committed to increase military success rates could be considered crimes against humanity … “.

He adds that these “more recent allegations” against Uribe were presented by the President of Colombia’s Congress Peace Commission and deputy for the leftist Democratic Pole, congressman Yván Cepeda, who said to Publico that: “[…] crimes of persecution against opponents, judges, politicians and journalists through illegal wiretaps and surveillance” involve the former president.

In some cases, the Spanish publication continues, the persecution led to the assassination of opponents at the hands of paramilitary gunmen.

In addition to these possible charges, Uribe faces an investigation for his “role in the formation of paramilitary armies in his cattle ranches,” it adds.

With Colombian and international justice closing in on him, Uribe is attempting to “shield himself” from prosecution by creating a new political force, the “Pure Democratic Centre” that will field candidate in next year’s elections, says Publico.

Full article in Spanish