Statement of Support for the Colombian Judiciary
London/Dublin, 6 August 2025
We, the undersigned, express our support for the independence of the Colombian judiciary as it comes under criticism from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and members of the US Congress.
Rubio has said that the 28 July ruling against former president Álvaro Uribe for tampering with witnesses and procedural fraud was due to the ‘weaponization of the Colombian judiciary’ by ‘radical’ judges with a political agenda. Another US politician – Mario Diaz-Balart – said that the sentence against Uribe is a ‘violation of the rule of law’. The fact that the case has its origins in Uribe’s own legal action in the Supreme Court against Senator Ivan Cepeda shows, if anything, the independence of the Colombian Judiciary. Moreover, Uribe still has the right of appeal, which could go to the Supreme and Constitutional Courts of Colombia, as is his right under the law.
Statements such as those made by the US Secretary of State are unhelpful and undermine a key principle of the rule of law, which is the independence of the judiciary from politics. Judge Sandra Liliana Heredia faced media and political pressure during this case, and we consider Judge Heredia to have shown courage and integrity in pursuing justice. As she said in her opening statement, ‘the law cannot tremble in the face of noise, and justice cannot kneel in front of power.’ She also said that ‘justice is focused exclusively on the legal truth and on the ethical duty to sentence in accordance with the law and conscience.’
The decisions of the Colombian Judiciary in the exercise of its duties must be respected. We call on the international community to support the Colombian Judiciary in its efforts to uphold truth and justice by ensuring that nobody considers themselves, or is considered by others, to be above the rule of law.
Signed:
Members of British Parliament
Paula Barker MP
Apsana Begum MP
Baroness Christine Blower
Richard Burgon MP
Ian Byrne MP
Lord Bryn Davies
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP
Clive Efford MP
Mary Kelly Foy MP
Kim Johnson MP
Ian Lavery MP
Brian Leishman MP
Clive Lewis MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Andy McDonald MP
John McDonnell MP
Simon Opher MP
Kate Osborne MP
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Steve Witherden MP
Trade union organisations
Owen Reidy – General Secretary, ICTU
Rozanne Foyer – General Secretary, STUC
Kate Bell – Assistant General Secretary, TUC
Mick Whelan – General Secretary, ASLEF
Zita Holbourne – Joint National Chair, AUE
Sarah Woolley – General Secretary, BFAWU
Dave Ward – General Secretary, CWU
Andrea Bradley – General Secretary, EIS
Paul Fleming – General Secretary, Equity
Steve Wright – General Secretary, FBU
Kevin Callinan – General Secretary, Fórsa
Barbara Plant – President, GMB
Matt Wrack – General Secretary, NASUWT
Mark Dickinson – General Secretary, Nautilus
Daniel Kebede – General Secretary, NEU
Carmel Gates – General Secretary, NIPSA
Seamus Dooley – Assistant General Secretary, NUJ
Chris Kitchen – General Secretary, NUM
Fran Heathcote – General Secretary, PCS
Steve Gillan – General Secretary, POA
Eddie Dempsey – General Secretary, RMT
Ethel Buckley – Deputy General Secretary, SIPTU
Clare Mellor – Chief Executive, Thompsons Solicitors
Maryam Esslamdoust – General Secretary, TSSA
Jo Grady – General Secretary, UCU
Sharon Graham – General Secretary, Unite