On the afternoon of last Thursday, July 23, the Police Gaula captured in flagrante delicto a renowned political consultant from the Caribbean region and central zone of the country.
The operation was carried out in the city of Neiva, Huila, when The subject apparently would be receiving a wad of bills as a result of an extortion carried out on a hotel businessman of the department.
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The meeting at the hotel
This is the moment of the capture of Masmela Olaya. Photo:Private file
The authorities identified the captured person as Carlos Felipe Masmela Olaya, a digital and political consultant, who, according to his resume, has worked in several marketing agencies to promote campaigns around the country.
EL TIEMPO had access to the judicial file of the case in which it is stated that the subject he would have been directly pressuring a hotel businessman identified as Mario.
The investigation arose after the victim reported that Masmela Olaya had been asking him for 12 million pesos in exchange for returning a truck Renault Duster that is in the name of the complainant’s son.
According to the complainant’s story, The vehicle was acquired through a partnership with Masmela Olaya in 2023 and he would have kept the vehicle without meeting the payment installments.
The complaint states that the political consultant who later demanded the money to return the vehicle, and even threatened the victim if he did not give it to him. And it is added that Masmela Olaya repeatedly went to the offices in an intimidating manner: “He said that very dangerous people have the car and that if I didn’t get the money the vehicle would disappear and something would happen to my family.”
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The consultant’s companies
Masmela Olaya during the capture legalization hearing. Photo:THE TIME
According to information from local media, Masmela Olaya He has advised candidates for the governorship of Magdalena such as Rafael Noya in the department’s atypical elections.
And on your resume claims to have advised electoral campaigns in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia.
EL TIEMPO investigated and established that the subject is the owner of the company Ingenio Político SAS, founded in October 2020 in Huila, and through which it carries out its management consulting activities.
In addition, it also registers the company Transportation and Supplies of Colombia, dedicated to the transportation of passengers and cargo by roadwhich is currently in liquidation.
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The contracts
Carlos Felipe Masmela Olaya, political advisor. Photo:Private file
The consultant and businessman also appears in another company named FM Eventos, dedicated to the development of telecommunications activities.
EL TIEMPO established that Masmela Olaya has had several public contracts.
The most recent was in January of this year, when he was hired by the mayor’s office of Rivera, Huila, to support the development of logistical assistance activities.
The contract was for 3 months for a value of 12.6 million pesos.
It also records un contract with the House of Representatives for the provision of management support services in the Second Commission to provide legislative support.
and another for management support in the documentary review of the audit carried out at the National Planning Department (DNP).
Authorities are investigating if Masmela Olaya is the same person who appears in a fraud trial in 2019.
The Prosecutor’s Office charged him with the crimes of aggravated fraud and constraint, but the municipal criminal judge 8 of control of guarantees of Huila denied the request for a security measure, so the subject will remain free while the process progresses.
In any case, those close to the consultant stated that it was an error and that he will be able to prove his complete innocence.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
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