Arrest of Colombia's Uribe will not curb his power but has focused party on reform

The house arrest of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in a witness tampering case is unlikely to dim his influence, but has focused his party on justice reform proposals they say will bring more consistency to the judicial process, according to politicians and analysts.

Uribe, perhaps the country’s most divisive politician, was placed under detention by the Supreme Court in a unanimous Tuesday decision that cited potential for obstruction of justice.

The ex-president, who now serves as a senator, has repeatedly declared his innocence amid accusations his allies undertook witness tampering in an attempt to discredit allegations that Uribe had ties to right-wing paramilitaries.

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