The association of retired police commanders ACORPOL allegedly conspired with active officials to secure the election of former President Ivan Duque in 2018.
In a report, television news program Noticias Uno said that the conspiracy was discovered by the National Police’s counterintelligence unit, which apparently leaked its findings.
According to the police intelligence report, the ACORPOR members and their associates actively sought to “generate opposition” to former President Juan Manuel Santos and President Gustavo Petro, who was a candidate at the time.
Identified former officials
- Flavio Eduardo Buitrago
Former presidential security chief - Carlos Ramiro Mena
Former police inspector - Humberto de Jesus Guatibonza
Former Bogota police commander - Jorge Enrique Rodriguez
Former Citizen Security chief
The retired officials hoped that their conspiracy would convince Duque to appoint loyalists in the police directorate and the presidential security unit, according to the intelligence report.
Among others, the conspirators allegedly sought the promotion of General Jorge Luis Vargas, who became national police director in 2020.
Meanwhile, retired coronel Hugo Silva was recruiting “active and retired officials to incorporate them in the different security and logistical schemes” of the presidential security unit.
Silva allegedly received support from Mayor Nancy Yaneth Ramirez, who was part of Santos’ security detail at the time.
In a response, Petro said on Twitter that “it is the job of the prosecution to discover this network of corrupt officials that tried to usurp the public and presidential security force.”
“They attacked my campaign in 2018… and there exist strong indications of their electronic infiltration of my campaign in 2022,” said the president.
Petro also stressed that the State Council on Monday rejected a lawsuit that sought to oust the president that was filed by the representative of another organization of retired security officials, MIPOFAAMCOL.
Last but not least, Petro said that “the network of fencers of stolen army weapons… must fall.”
The military said earlier this month that it had reported 120 people to the prosecution for their alleged involvement in the fencing of army munitions.
