Not even a last-minute injunction, filed by a union leader, stopped the Ecopetrol General Shareholders’ Meeting, which began on Tuesday, August 15, amid the scandal triggered by an audio revealed by EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit.
The content of the 43-minute recording led to the early resignation of Juan Carlos Hurtado, acting president of the oil company, whose return to the company is linked to strings pulled by the Catalan Manel Grau – a personal friend of former president Petro and his ex-first lady – and alias ‘el Bachiller’. And in the coming hours, there will be another resignation, also preceded by a complaint.
‘The man from Houston’
EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit exclusively established that the complaint concerns Julio César Herrera, Commercial and Marketing Vice President of the company, who previously served as general manager of Ecopetrol US Trading, an office based in Houston (United States), which is why he is known as ‘the man from Houston’, where he lives part of the year.
According to the complaint, Herrera allegedly tried to distance himself from several hidden deals attributed to Ricardo Roa, former president of the company, charged with influence peddling and violation of campaign spending limits for Petro President 2022-2026.
The background
In a letter exclusively obtained by EL TIEMPO, it is stated that Julio César Herrera had already been dismissed from Ecopetrol in the past due to unclear circumstances and poor performance: “However, when Ricardo Roa became president, he imposed Herrera’s resume to be hired as manager of the newly created Houston marketing subsidiary.”
For two weeks, sources from the state company had already told EL TIEMPO that Herrera was behind the multimillion-dollar gas purchase attempted by that office weeks before the Petro government expired. But he denied those allegations. However, Bayron Triana, another executive of the state company, admitted pressure from Casa de Nariño to seal the shady and failed deal.
The complaint mentions this revelation by EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit and questions why Herrera remains in the state company.
The complaint also points out that despite his alleged lack of expertise – he is an accountant by profession – he was brought in to lead Ecopetrol’s Commercial Vice Presidency: “With the sole task of making visible the bribery, kickbacks, or commissions for himself (…)”.
At this point, Julián Caicedo, partner of Ricardo Roa, who also appears named in the audios revealed by EL TIEMPO, is mentioned. However, Roa has been emphatic that his partner had no involvement in business or appointments at Ecopetrol.
Catalans and Ortega
In the same chapter, the complaint mentions the Catalans Xavier Vendrell and Manel Grau, and the Colombian Sebastián Ortega, who also appears in the so-called looting of Medellín by the administration of Daniel Quintero.
“Another news item revealed months ago by the media has gone unnoticed, in which this same Houston office sponsored a marathon in the city of Miami, in which, it is worth mentioning, Mr. Julio Herrera and the partner of the company’s president, Mr. Julián Caicedo, participated. Why does Ecopetrol sponsor a national police marathon in Miami, if Ecopetrol has no interest, office, or investment there to justify it?“, the complaint reads, referring to a news report by EL TIEMPO.
Later, the complaint refers to at least four companies that have made or tried to seal multimillion-dollar contracts with Ecopetrol.
One of these is the company Cathay, based in China.
“Before Ricardo Roa’s administration, contracts with this company were only signed for up to 500,000 barrels of oil per month, and for one-year periods. This time, the mentioned committee was taken for approval of the extension of the same contract, this time for two years and up to 2,000,000 bbl/month (two million barrels of oil)“, the complaint reads, requesting investigation into the increase in volume sold and delivery terms.
Additionally, they question why this deal was not handled by Ecopetrol’s Singapore subsidiary.
They also mention alleged irregularities and growth in contracting with companies such as Bimesur, TAC S.A.S., BGN, Petrodecol, and Colmex Enterprises LLC.
In the case of Bimesur, according to the complainant, since Julio César Herrera’s arrival at Ecopetrol, most of the imported naphtha shipments have been assigned to them over Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Valero, and Marathon.
Furthermore, it is claimed that Herrera lifted a sanction imposed on TAC SAS by the previous product manager without any justification.
Regarding BGN, the complainant states that officials from that company have commented that Herrera received a share of Ecopetrol’s oil sales to a refinery in Africa.
And it is stated that in alleged meetings a resolution was drafted that gave an advantage to a company known as Petrodecol, to the detriment of the interests of the Nation and Ecopetrol.
Other companies mentioned are CI International Fuel, owned by businessman Jaime Ochoa, and Trafigura.
What does Herrera say?
EL TIEMPO contacted Herrera to ask about the allegations and he began by assuring: “I joined the Petro government. My resume shows I was the best. It is not true that I was removed from Ecopetrol under dubious circumstances; it was for medical reasons. I was ill. If what the letter says were true, I would not have been able to return.”
He added: “I met Roa at the Ecopetrol Clients Summit 2023. I lived in Houston. He told me to submit my resume and apply. I won the process and was hired by Felipe Trujillo, after a process that lasted from November 2023 to March 2024.”
About his move to Bogotá, he said: “My results were exceptional. But in December 2023, Trujillo called me to replace him as commercial vice president. He moved to the Refining vice presidency. The board appointed me permanently from May 1, 2025. I did not ask for it.”
Regarding the contract with Cathay mentioned in the complaint, he explained it is a reputable company: “I do not approve contracts; they are committees. I manage the relationship, talk with company presidents about strategies, and the ‘trading’ teams carry that out. In any case, they must go to commercial committees for approval.”
And about the alleged record terms approved for this firm, he said they are normal in oil matters: “Crude is negotiated two months before it is dispatched.”
Herrera also agreed to explain the deal with Bimesur, regarding naphtha. He pointed out they are not related and that they offered the best prices: “They offered Brent minus 5 dollars per barrel. Very cheap and have done other business with Ecopetrol.”
On the subject, he added that there is favoritism at Ecopetrol and that he and his team gave other companies the opportunity to contract and “that stepped on toes.”
Regarding TAC SAS, a company sanctioned by Ecopetrol, he said he had nothing to do with it.
And about the contract with BGN, he stated he never participated in any negotiation: “They have had business with Ecopetrol for some time. They lost the contract with the Ivory Coast refinery; there were only two transactions. Ask Felipe Trujillo who approved that client. I did not approve it.”
The now former official also said that in the case mentioned about Petrodecol, Ecopetrol has not sold anything to them because they are under bankruptcy law: “Nothing has been done with them at all.”
And about Colmex Enterprises LLC, also mentioned in the complaint, he said it is another company sanctioned for two years for not providing guarantees.
Something similar happened with businessman Jaime Ochoa, linked to CI International Fuel; he said that although resuming business with them was considered, they are also banned like Trafigura, another company mentioned in the complaint: “They were banned before I joined the company.”
Finally, he referred to the coke purchase: “I stepped on toes, there was a mafia. We took the business away from a multinational. I was the strategist of that good deal which doubled the income to the Cartagena refinery and lowered logistics costs for Ecopetrol.”
Herrera attributes the complaint to jealousy within the state company from executives who disregarded his career: “They are already out of the company, but they were bothered by the changes made.”
The internal audit will decide whether to send the complaint to the authorities. In any case, sources from the state company confirmed Herrera’s departure.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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