Until a week ago many took for granted that the new general director of the National Police of Colombia would be Major General Luis Enrique Méndez Reina, who was even appointed to lead the government transition of De La Espriella in that institution.
The seasoned officer (r.), who served 37 years in the Police, led police units in departments with security challenges, marked by the presence of armed groups and illegal economies, such as Antioquia, Córdoba, and Chocó. And before that position, he served as head of the Aviation area of the Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate.
Transition and anonymous tip
Therefore, although the name of Major General (r.) Alejandro Barrera as the new director of the National Police was very well received, there was confusion in some sectors because Méndez did not qualify in any of the rankings of the new leadership.
“I have decided to reinstate General Alejandro Barrera as our next general director of the National Police,” said President De La Espriella and announced also Major General (r.) Norberto Mujica as deputy director of the institution, who will operate from Barranquilla.
The Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO established that members of the transition committee received at the last minute an anonymous tip that had been circulating for several months within the Police, related to multi-million contracts for crop eradication, in which General (r.) Méndez Reina was mentioned.
EL TIEMPO obtained the document since June, when this newspaper investigated a controversial bidding process. The complaints mention alleged relationships of General Méndez Reina and other former officers with companies behind contracts in the Anti-Narcotics Police.
The lucrative business
The Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO investigated and established that the contract linked to Méndez Reina is the same one that was postponed for the third time last June for the provision of comprehensive service for the development of manual eradication activities of illicit crops, with mobile eradication groups (GME) in the Anti-Narcotics Police.
At the end of 2025 it was declared void; in May it had a first postponement (due to issues in Secop), and last June its schedule was modified amid complaints and allegations that led to the declaration of void.
In fact, the Procuraduría had already sent a request to Brigadier General William Castaño Ramos, director of Anti-Narcotics Police (Diran), asking how he had resolved various observations, requests, and verification actions related to the process that sector players had been making.
Sources from the institution told EL TIEMPO that the issue questioned was that a group of former officers who previously participated in this type of contracts and now advise companies in the sector were in the middle of a dispute to secure the award, which amounts to more than 60 billion pesos. And they mentioned Méndez Reina there.
EL TIEMPO has documents in its possession in which indeed the general (r.) appears as the general administrator of the eradication project of a bidder called Consorcio Rural.
‘It’s a matter of profiles’
EL TIEMPO contacted General Méndez Reina to ask him about the anonymous tip, but he said he did not know it. However, he confirmed that although he was considered for the director position, it was not an official decision.
“I was indeed on the transition team with the Police. The appointment of my General Barrera fills me with emotion. I respect and deeply admire him and I know he is the profile the country and the institution need,” Méndez Reina told EL TIEMPO.
He added: “There is a profile for everything and my General Barrera has the profile to be the director. I have advised several companies in my professional life and last year one of these was participating in a crop eradication contract, but the contract was never awarded.”
(Check here all the articles from the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO)
When this newspaper asked if the company he advised was that of businessman Carlos Niño, mentioned in the Andrés Sarabia scandal – brother of Laura Sarabia -, he said: “I have heard that gentleman mentioned, but I have never seen him. I have never worked with him and if I heard about him it was in Anti-Narcotics when I was active and I know he was a contractor.”
The general (r.) concluded by saying that he has very good relations with the new government and with President Abelardo De La Espriella. But, at least for now, he will not be in the leadership.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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