“31 security companies have been suspended, many because they were fronts for criminal gangs. There cannot be a State that arms criminals (…)”.
READ ALSO
That was part of the message that President Gustavo Petro published on the afternoon of last Wednesday, April 14, when the Superintendence of Surveillance and Private Security announced the suspension of the licenses of 31 security companies.
READ ALSO
Capos and escorts
Colonel Pedro Alexánder Ruiz Pulido, legal representative of Pretorian Security Ltda. Photo:Provided by authorities
EL TIEMPO had already revealed in October 2024 that it was being investigated who had been deleted from Supervigilance data from firms that were granted express operating licenses.
Then, 18 licenses were detected for the provision of private security and surveillance services in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Neiva, Zipaquirá, Yopal and Bello, of which there is no record in the entity’s documentary system.
And in March 2025, this newspaper revealed that several of the firms appeared protecting weapons for drug lords. and other criminals as escorts.
Besides that Retired police colonels appear behind the companies in papers.
READ ALSO
Fictitious contracts
Edgar Munévar. Photo:EL TIEMPO/ Private Archive
Since March 15, 2023, EL TIEMPO revealed that Police Colonel Pedro Ruiz Pulido was the representative of Pretorian Security LTDA., one of the sanctioned firms, who appears linked to one of those captured by the escape of Juan Larinson Castro Estupiñán, alias Matamba, from La Picota prison.
This newspaper investigated and established that the officer (r.), 58 years old, had begun to accumulate a reputation in the security sector after having been a contractor for the National Protection Unit (UNP) in 2019, and then for opening a security company in Miami (in 2023) under the name Franper Security and Service LLC., which operated at 1900 N Bayshore Dr. Suite 1A #136.
But The former officer was captured in early 2025 along with two other people accused of using security companies as fronts to commit crimes.
According to information held by the Prosecutor’s Office, The firms would have granted permission as bodyguards to people with legal requirements and linked to various criminal activities, and through fraudulent contracts they rented them weapons and other items.
READ ALSO
Capos and escorts
The firm Pretorian Security Ltda. Photo:Private file
Three of the companies that have just had their licenses suspended are Pretorian (firm linked to Colonel Ruiz Pulido), Securbel and Sara Ltda, who had leaders of criminal structures as escorts.
The common thread that unites the investigated companies and their administrators is the ‘Gulf clan’.
In the case of Seguridad Sara, it is accused of being the company that supplied weapons to the former paramilitaries Jhon Fredy Gallo, alias Pájaro, and Oliverio Isaza, alias Terror, killed in a military operation on February 24.
READ ALSO
As soon as The signature of the colonel (r.) protected as escorts Miguel Antonio Bastidas Bravo, alias Gárgola, head of the criminal gang ‘la Constru’.
Additionally, Édgar Elicio Munevar Castillo, alias El Caballista, lieutenant of Jhon Freddy Gallo, alias ‘Pájaro’, head of hitmen of the ‘Gulf clan’ and former paramilitary of Magdalena Medio, who received orders from ‘Terror’ and who was freed last January.
‘Pájaro’ and ‘el Caballista’ were captured and prosecuted for being the masterminds behind the escape of alias Matamba from La Picota prison.
Alias Matamba was considered a high-value target for Colombian and US authorities. Photo:National Police
READ ALSO
‘El Capi’ and ‘Ciro’
Andrés Fernando Medina Rodríguez, alias El Capi. Photo:Private File
In July 2021, EL TIEMPO had already made reference to another of the sanctioned companies, in which Colonel Ruiz Pulido appears.
This is the firm Isvi Rental Ltda., in which he appears as a substitute for the manager. It is a car rental and security company in which Andrés Fernando Medina Rodríguez, Capi and Ciro Alfonso Gutiérrez Ballesteros, alias Ciro.
Both were convicted in the United States for the explosion of the car bomb in Brigade 30.
Then, from Isvi they assured that the hiring of ‘Ciro’ and ‘Capi’ were made during the administration of an executive named Francisco Vergara Lago, the same one that appears in the company in Miami along with Colonel (r.) Ruiz.
It is being investigated whether more bosses or other criminals appear in other of the sanctioned companies.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
Follow us now on Facebook
