Former Colombian Paramilitary Leaders Summoned in Case Linking Ex-President Uribe to El Aro Massacre

Before the end of the year, the Third Delegated Prosecutor’s Office before the Supreme Court of Justice plans to conduct two judicial hearings regarding the El Aro massacre, a case involving former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. Judicial sources confirmed that the testimony of former paramilitary chiefs Diego Murillo, known as alias Don Berna, and Julián Bolívar is scheduled for November 12.

The prosecution aims to thoroughly investigate the architects and perpetrators behind the crime against humanity, which took place in October 1997 in the department of Antioquia. The El Aro massacre has long involved allegations regarding supposed alliances between the Colombian Army and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, commonly known as the AUC.

Former President Uribe has consistently denied any connection to the violent incident in Antioquia during previous judicial proceedings. Testifying before the fiscalia months ago concerning the massacres at El Aro and La Granja, the former head of state defended his record. “I have not been a murderer,” Uribe stated during the inquiry.

Elaborating on his appearance, Uribe added that he faced the accusation while carrying the pain of an unjust conviction against his brother, whom he described as a basic farmer of strong moral values condemned by individuals who knew him only through his accusers and political adversaries. He maintained that despite believing he had served the nation faithfully, he felt compelled to declare his innocence. The former president asserted that his personal grief did not diminish his enduring love and ongoing fight for Colombia, which he stated remains above honors and sorrows.

Investigative records connect the El Aro massacre with several other high-profile atrocities in the municipality of Ituango, Antioquia. Specifically, judicial authorities link the La Granja massacre of 1996, the El Aro massacre of 1997, and the 1998 assassination of human rights defender Jesús María Valle through consistent allegations of coordination between paramilitary factions and the Public Force.