Democratic Colombia Party

The faction formed a legal entity in 1994 to support Álvaro Uribe's candidacy for governor of Antioquia in that year's regional elections.

[2] Beginning in 2006, the party faced the parapolitics scandal, in which several of its leaders were linked with paramilitary groups such as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC).

Senator Miguel Alfonso de la Espriella was called for questioning before the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia in 2007 for appearing as one of the signatories of the Pact of Ralito, a secret agreement signed in 2001 between the AUC and some 30 politicians.

An arrest warrant was issued against him on May 14, 2007 and he resigned his seat in Congress to avoid being tried by the Supreme Court, which meant that his case was transferred to the Attorney General's office.

[9] In April 2008, the Attorney General's office issued an arrest warrant against him, leading the ex-senator to seek refuge at the Costa Rican embassy requesting political asylum, which was refused.