From two in the afternoon this Wednesday, September 16, the meeting of the so-called senior commercial management committee of Ecopetrol began, that will begin to define whether it gives free rein to two million-dollar bidding processes for the purchase of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) molecule for the regasification projects in Buenaventura, Valle; and Puerto Bahía, in Bolívar.
The issue is not minor, because it will depend on these purchases whether income is guaranteed for 5 years, in the case of Buenaventura, Already 7 years, in Puerto Bahía, of gas supply to ensure that the country does not turn off.
READ ALSO
The doubts
Ricardo Roa with Bayron Triana. Photo:Social networks
Although some assume that due to the emergency that the country is going through, in the face of the phenomenon of children, these two processes are going to be awarded, There are some doubts that would lead Ecopetrol’s senior management committee to elevate the final decision to the highest level: the oil company’s board of directors.
One of the red flags is that both processes were initiated by Bayron Triana, former Executive Vice President of Energies for the Transition of the state oil company.
Triana was mentioned in an investigation by the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO for an alleged irregular purchase of gas that was going to be advanced through the Ecopetrol office in Houston.
The official admitted in dialogue with EL TIEMPO that, in effect, he received pressure from Casa de Nariño to sign the million-dollar contract weeks before the end of Gustavo Petro’s government.
Furthermore, because he did not comply with these pressures, they threatened to remove him from the state company and start a smear campaign against him.
And to that is added that giant gas suppliers They have stated that they were not given information about one of the processes, which would be awarded in the next few hours.
READ ALSO
The three attempts
Ricardo Rodríguez Yee and Luis Felipe Henao. Photo:EL TIEMPO/ Private Archive
As the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO has been revealing, this would be the third attempt to make this million-dollar purchase, which would demonstrate to experts that the possible blackout is attributable to late measures by the Petro government.
Indeed, Last May, a first process was declared void because the prices of the gas molecule were very expensive.
Subsequentlyan attempt was made to purchase the gas through the Houston office, but the process was stopped due to complaints from EL TIEMPO. In that case, Bayron Triana ended up admitting pressure from Casa de Nariño.
In addition, as this newspaper revealed, an unsolicited offer appeared.
It is expected that in the next few hours the senior commercial management committee will announce whether the purchases will be awarded or whether the decision will be left in the hands of the new board of directors, which was elected in yesterday’s assembly and which already has appointees from the De La Espriella government in all its chairs.; to the workers’ representative; and the two independents: the former minister Luis Felipe Henao, president of the Board; and Ricardo Rodríguez Yee, representative of the hydrocarbon producing departments and also head of the internal forensic audit.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltimpo.com
@UinvestigativaET
Follow us now with Facebook
