The property, which operated for years as the Soacha Plaza Hotel, will pass into the hands of the municipal Office after being recovered by the Special Assets Company (SAE) due to irregularities in its administration.
What for decades was a symbol of the economic power derived from drug trafficking in Cundinamarca, is about to open its doors with a radically different purpose. A building located in the heart of Soacha, which belonged to the brothers Gilberto and Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, former bosses of the Cali cartel, will cease to be a private hotel to become the new headquarters of the municipal Office.
Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela Photo:ARCHIVE THE TIME
The decision, confirmed by the national government, marks the end of an era for this property that, after the fall and extradition of the bosses, remained in legal and commercial limbo. The change of destination seeks to ensure that the asset, originally obtained illicitly, returns to society through the protection of human rights.
The end of irregular exploitation
Although the building was already under the control of the State after a domain forfeiture process that was fully formalized in 2024, the property continued to operate commercially as the Soacha Plaza Hotel. However, the Special Assets Society (SAE) detected serious anomalies in its management.
According to the entity’s investigations, the property had been the subject of unauthorized leases and subleases. This network of irregular contracts allowed third parties to obtain undue economic benefits from an asset that was already public property. Faced with this situation, the authorities carried out an eviction operation to regain full control of the building and make way for its institutional transformation.
From shopping center to bastion of rights
The delivery of the property to the Soacha Personería is not only an administrative procedure; It represents a key strengthening for surveillance and control in one of the most populated municipalities in the country. According to information obtained by Semana, the building will focus on:
- Direct attention to citizens in control and surveillance procedures.
- The protection and promotion of human rights in the territory.
- Expanding institutional capacity to respond to community needs.
- The creation of a public service space in a strategic area of the municipality.
Article developed with AI support and reviewed by a journalist.
