As anticipated by EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit, the purge began at the Ecopetrol Group, after its board – led by Luis Felipe Henao – took control of the company and even ordered an audit regarding 5 corruption scandals.
In recent hours, as the already rumored appointment of Joaquín Gutiérrez as the new president of the state company – following Ricardo Roa’s departure with two criminal charges pending – gained momentum, the first replacements began to be known.
‘Their ID cards were blocked’
Informed sources told this newspaper that yesterday the departure of Victoria Sepúlveda, Vice President of Human Talent very close to Roa, became known.
Also, in the coming hours, 4 more vice presidents will be removed from their positions: “The departure of the head of Ecopetrol Brazil, Dr. Jorge Andrés Martínez Olano, is being prepared, and a professional named Ana María García would be left in charge.”
Martínez Olano was a candidate for the Chamber of Representatives for the department of Sucre in 2018, endorsed by the Democratic Center. The news of his departure from Ecopetrol Brazil has caused surprise within the state company because even his name was mentioned to occupy the Presidency of the company while President Abelardo De La Espriella officially appoints the new head of the group.
Another official who would also leave the state company is Diana Marcela Jiménez, who had been serving as corporate director of institutional relations and communications at Ecopetrol.
The same sources say that another departure is that of David Riaño, president of Ocensa, a subsidiary of Ecopetrol.
High-ranking sources at Ecopetrol told this newspaper that in at least one case, the ID cards of the outgoing officials were canceled for access to the oil company’s facilities.
The replacements are known after the board – with fewer Petrist members – approved last Friday a forensic audit to investigate several complaints made by EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit, such as the purchase of Termomorichal I and II from a company of William Vélez (RIP), former boss of Ricardo Roa.
In fact, the latter told EL TIEMPO that he had declared himself impeded when the payment of nearly 50 million dollars was approved for those plants when initially the cost was going to be zero.
The multimillion-dollar contract that was about to be awarded to the company Gaxi, controlled by former police officer Juan Guillermo Mancera, will also be investigated.
The latter, as revealed by EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit, was the intermediary in the multimillion-dollar purchase of Ricardo Roa’s apartment 901.
Additionally, the attempt of a multimillion-dollar gas purchase announced by then-president Gustavo Petro will be investigated, which according to reports was frustrated because Juan Carlos Hurtado, acting president of the state company, and Roa had not done so in the three days before his definitive departure.
‘Dancer’ and Brazil
Within the audit, the alleged interference of Verónica Alcocer, former first lady, and appointments in vice presidencies and contract direction through 4 foreigners will also be investigated: two Catalans and two Italians.
One of the Catalans would have had influence in Brazil.
(Check out all the stories from EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit here)
It is also being investigated who alias El Bachiller is, who would have intervened in several appointments.
Regarding this last one, sources say he is a powerful businessman in the infrastructure area with ties to criminal groups in Santander.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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