Not even a last-minute protection, filed by a union member, stopped the General Assembly of Shareholders of Ecopetrol, which began meeting this Tuesday, September 15, in the midst of the scandal that was triggered by an audio revealed by the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO.
The content of the 43-minute recording led to the early resignation of Juan Carlos Hurtado, president (e.) of the oil company, whose return to the company is linked with strings pulled by the Catalan Manel Grau – a personal friend of former president Petro and his former first lady – and with alias ‘el Bachiller’. And in the next few hours there will be a new withdrawal, also preceded by a complaint.
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‘The man from Houston’
Julio César Herrera, Commercial and Marketing Vice President of Ecopetrol. Photo:Ecopetrol
The Investigative Unit EL TIEMPO established for the first time that the complaint refers to Julio César Herrera, Commercial and Marketing Vice President of the company, who previously served as general manager of Ecopetrol US Trading, an office based in Houston (United States), which is why he is known as ‘the man from Houston’, where he lives part of the year.
According to the complaint, Herrera would have tried to distance himself from several hidden businesses that are attributed to Ricardo Roa, former president of the company, accused of influence peddling and violating limits of the Petro Presidente 2022-2026 campaign.
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The background
Ricardo Roa with Bayron Triana. Photo:Social networks
In a letter first known by EL TIEMPO, it is stated that Julio César Herrera had already been dismissed from Ecopetrol in the past due to unclear facts and his low level of performance: “However, when Ricardo Roa becomes president, he imposes Herrera’s resume to be hired as manager of the newly created Houston marketing subsidiary.”.
Two weeks ago, sources from the state company had already told EL TIEMPO that Herrera was behind of the million-dollar purchase of gas that was attempted by that office, weeks before the Petro government expired. But he denied those allegations. However, Bayron Triana, another director of the state company, admitted pressure from Casa de Nariño to seal the murky and failed business.
lThe complaint mentions this revelation from the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO and questions why Herrera remains in the state company.
The complaint also states that, despite his alleged lack of expertise – he is an accountant by profession – he was brought in to head the Commercial Vice Presidency of Ecopetrol: “With the sole task of making visible the businesses of bribes, bribes or commissions for himself (…)”.
At that point too Julián Caicedo, Ricardo Roa’s partner, is mentioned, who is also named in the audios revealed by EL TIEMPO. However, Roa has been emphatic that his partner had no relationship with business or appointments at Ecopetrol.
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Catalans and Ortega
The Catalans Manel Grau and Xavier Vendrell. Photo:Private file
In that same chapter the complaint mentions the Catalans Xavier Vendrell and Manel Grau, and the Colombian Sebastián Ortega, who also figures in the so-called looting of Medellín by the administration of Daniel Quintero.
“Another piece of news revealed months ago by the media in which this same Houston office sponsored a marathon in the city of Miami, in which it is worth mentioning, Mr. Julio Herrera and the partner of the president of the company, Mr. Julián Caicedo, participated. Why does Ecopetrol sponsor a national police marathon in the city of Miami, if in that city Ecopetrol does not have any type of interest, headquarters or investment that justifies it?“, reads the complaint, referring to a news item from EL TIEMPO.
Next, the complaint refers to at least four companies that have made or attempted to seal million-dollar contracts with Ecopetrol.
One of these is the company Cathay, based in China.
“Before Ricardo Roa’s administration, contracts were only signed with him for up to 500,000 barrels of oil per month, and for periods of one year. On this occasion, the extension of the same contract was brought to the aforementioned committee for approval, this time for two years and for up to 2,000,000 bls/month (two million barrels of oil).“, reads the complaint and asks to investigate the expansion of the volume sold and delivery times.
Furthermore, they wonder why this business was not carried out by the Ecopetrol subsidiary in Singapore.
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The complaint in which Julio César Herrera is mentioned. Photo:Private file
And they mention alleged irregularities and growth in contracting with companies such as Bimesur, TAC SAS, BGN, Petrodecol and Colmex Enterprises LLC.
In the case of Bimesur, According to the complainant, since the arrival of Julio César Herrera, Ecopetrol has been assigned the majority of imported gasoline shipments over Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Valero and Marathon.
In addition, it is claimed that Herrera lifted a sanction imposed by the previous product manager from the TAC SAS firm, without any justification.
Regarding BGN, the complainant points out that officials of that company have commented that Herrera received participation in Ecopetrol’s oil sales to a refinery in Africa.
And he points out that in supposed meetingsand a resolution would have been drafted that gave the advantage to a company known as Petrodecol, to the detriment of the interests of the Nation and Ecopetrol..
Other companies that are mentioned are CI International Fuel, owned by businessman Jaime Ochoa, and Trafigura.
What does Herrera say?
Bayron Triana and Julio César Herrera, directors of Ecopetrol. Photo:Private file
EL TIEMPO contacted Herrera to ask him about the accusations and began by stating: “I entered the Petro government. My resume shows that I was the best. It is not true that they removed me from Ecopetrol due to dubious circumstances, it was for medical reasons. I was sick. If what the letter said had been true I would not have been able to return.”
And he added: “I met Roa at the Ecopetrol 2023 Customer Summit. I lived in Houston. He told me to submit my resume and apply. I won the process and Felipe Trujillo hired me, after a process that lasted from November 2023 to March 2024.”
About his jump to Bogotá, he said: “My results were exceptional. But in December 2023, Trujillo called me to replace him as commercial vice president. He became vice president of Refining. “The board appoints me as property from May 1, 2025. I did not ask for it.”
Regarding the contract with Cathay that is mentioned in the complaint, he explained that it is a reputable company: “I don’t approve contracts, they are committees. I manage the relationship, I spoke with the presidents of the strategy companies and it is the trading companies that advance that. In any case, they must go to commercial committees for approval.”.
And regarding the supposed record deadlines that were approved for this firm, he said that they are normal in oil issues: “Crude oil is negotiated two months before it is shipped.”
Herrera also agreed to explain the business with Bimesur, a gasoline company. He pointed out that they are not appeared and that they offered the best prices: “They offered Brent -5 dollars per barrel. Very cheap and they have done other business with Ecopetrol.”
On the subject, he added that at Ecopetrol there is favoritism and that he and his team gave other companies the opportunity to hire and “that stepped on calluses.”
Regarding the matter of TAC SAS, a company sanctioned by Ecopetrol, he indicated that it had nothing to do with it.
And regarding the contract with BGN, he stated that he never participated in any negotiations: “They have had business with Ecopetrol for a long time. They lost the contract with the Ivory Coast refinery, there were just two transactions. Ask Felipe Trujillo who he approved that client for. I did not approve it.”
Vice President of Refining at Ecopetrol, Felipe Trujillo. Photo:THE TIME
The now former official also said that in the case mentioned about Petrodecol, Ecopetrol has not sold him anything because they are in bankruptcy law: “Absolutely nothing has been done with them.”
And regarding Colmex Enterprises LLC, also mentioned in the complaint, he pointed out that it is another of the companies sanctioned, for two years, for not having provided the guarantees.
Something similar happened with the case of businessman Jaime Ochoa, linked to CI International Ful, said that although it was analyzed to have business with them again, another of the companies that are mentioned in the complaint are also banned, like Trafigura: “They were banned prior to my arrival at the company.”
Finally, he referred to the purchase of coke: “I stepped on calluses, there was a mafia. We took the business away from a multinational. I was the strategist of that good deal which doubled the income at the Cartagena refinery and lowered logistics costs for Ecopetrol.”
Herrera attributes the complaint to jealousy within the state company of executives who were unaware of his career: “They are already outside the company, but the changes that were made bothered them.”
The internal audit will define whether to send the complaint to the authorities. In any case, sources from the state company confirmed Herrera’s departure.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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