The Criminal Chamber of the Superior Court of Bogotá decided to grant provisional release to former President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, after evaluating the defense's arguments in the appeal filed against the house arrest measure.

With this court ruling, the Democratic Center leader will be able to defend himself in freedom while the appeals court decides the first-instance sentence that sentenced him to 12 years for procedural fraud and bribery in criminal proceedings.

Uribe's defense argued that the restriction on his freedom was imposed without a final ruling, questioning the decision of Bogotá's 44th Criminal Judge, Sandra Heredia.

In its written ruling, the Superior Court determined that the legal grounds used by the Judge "to justify the need for the measure were vague, indeterminate, a

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