Colombia's General Prosecution ordered on Tuesday the arrest of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's cousin because he is allegedly linked to paramilitary groups in this South American country.
The prosecution stated in a communique that the former senator Mario Uribe, sometime president of Congress, will not reach bail.
Mario Uribe quickly entered Costa Rica's embassy to seek political asylum in Costa Rica after the arrest.
Mario Uribe said that in the forthcoming hours he will turn himself in to the prosecution that accuses him of agreement to commit crimes and links with paramilitaries.
The General Prosecution stated that Mario Uribe's arrest had been ordered by a Supreme Justice Court prosecutor dealing cases of officials with privileged protection.
Prosecution officials stated that former paramilitary chief Salvatore Mancuso said the United Self-defenses of Colombia (AUC) had made land business deals with Mario Uribe.
Mario Uribe had resigned as senator on October so his case would be handled by the General Prosecution and not the Supreme Justice Court.
The prosecution said Uribe was being investigated for a meeting he held with Mancuso before the March 10 of 2002 elections and with a meeting he had held with former paramilitary chief Jairo Castillo Peralta in 1998.
Colombian congressman Mario Uribe attends an interview in Bogota in this Feb. 2, 2006 file photo. Colombia's General Prosecution ordered on Tuesday the arrest of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's cousin because he is allegedly linked to paramilitary groups in this South American country. Senator Ricardo Elcure Chacon turned himself over to justice on Monday since the prosecution is also investigating him.
Some 32 legislators have been imprisoned due to their alleged links with right-wing paramilitaries of the AUC.
The prosecution investigates hundreds of Colombian officials and soldiers with alleged links with the AUC.
The AUC had 31,000 troops and was demobilized in 2004-2006 in an accord with Alvaro Uribe's government.
The AUC was fighting the guerrilla and are accused of assassinating hundreds of farming, social and guild leaders in Colombia.
Source:Xinhua
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