Former president Álvaro Uribe said Tuesday that Colombia's Supreme Court has issued an arrest warrant against him for witness tampering.
"Being deprived of my freedom is very sad for me, my wife, my family and for the Colombians who still think I did something good for the homeland," Uribe wrote on Twitter.
The court itself has not published its decision but local media say Uribe, now a senator, is to be held under house arrest.
The 68-year-old, who is the political mentor of current leader Ivan Duque and the head of the ruling Democratic Centre party, was president from 2002-2010 and remains one of Colombia's most influential politicians.
On Tuesday the court held a hearing into his case, in which Uribe is accused of using his position as a senator to tamper with a witness.
He faces bribery and procedural fraud charges and could serve up to eight years in prison if convicted.
The right-wing politician was questioned by judges last October – the first time a former president had appeared before Colombia's highest court.
In 2012, Uribe filed a complaint against leftist senator Iván Cepeda, who claims the former president hatched a plot to falsely link him to paramilitary groups.
But in 2018, the court instead opened a witness tampering investigation against Uribe.
His efforts as president to stand up to Marxist guerrillas made Uribe a hero to some but saw him heavily criticised by others.
Duque issued his immediate support for his mentor and head of the his party.
"I am and always will be a believer in the innocence and honourability of someone who, with his example, has earned a place in the history of Colombia," he said in a message to citizens.
– TIMES/AFP
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