It took Judge Sandra Heredia over ten hours on July 28th to read her judgment in the case against Álvaro Uribe, Colombia’s president from 2002 to 2010. Her verdict, when it came, was that he was guilty of arranging the bribing of witnesses and of perverting justice. He is the first Colombian president to be found guilty in court. The sentence, which will be announced on August 1st, could land him with up to eight years in jail. Since Mr Uribe is 73, he might be allowed to serve it under house arrest. His lawyers say they will appeal. “This isn’t a trial of history, nor an act of vengeance,” said the judge. “It’s an act of justice and only justice, and we ask that it be understood [as such].”