Colombia Fires Santa Marta Police Chief After 41 Escape
COLOMBIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —What happened The president removed Santa Marta’s police commander on Monday, 12 October.
- —The escape 41 detainees fled a police holding centre, the president said.
- —The reward The mayor offers up to COP 5 million (about US$1,560).
- —New commander Colonel Jimmy Belalcázar is due to take over this week.
- —Still open No official recapture count had been published by Monday afternoon.
Colombia’s president fired the Santa Marta police chief over a mass escape and an unchecked road blockade. The city is a Caribbean gateway for foreign tourists.
Colombia’s president removed the Santa Marta police commander on Monday, 12 October, after 41 detainees escaped from a police holding centre. Santa Marta is a Caribbean port city and the gateway to Tayrona National Park, one of Colombia’s best-known destinations for foreign visitors.
President Abelardo De La Espriella announced the move on X at 8:52 a.m. Bogotá time, saying “cowardice has no place.” He also blamed the commander for failing to act during a Sunday road blockade between Santa Marta and Barranquilla.
What the President Ordered
He said Colonel Yeison López would be “called to qualify services,” a procedure that retires an officer from active duty. He cited three reasons: the escape, the failure to report it promptly and inaction over Sunday’s blockade at Tasajera.
The second in command, a colonel named Urriago, takes over the Santa Marta police on an interim basis. Colonel Jimmy Belalcázar is due to arrive this week as the new commander, the president wrote.
How the Escape Unfolded
The president said the 41 escapees were held for theft, drug dealing and other crimes at a Centro de Traslado por Protección. That is a short-term holding facility guarded by the police, not a national prison.
El Heraldo reported that the escape followed a riot early on Monday at the Centro de Reclusión Transitorio Sur. Inmates had complained about spoiled food, delayed court hearings and releases not carried out, the newspaper said.
Santa Marta Mayor Carlos Pinedo Cuello published photos of the escapees on X at 10:30 a.m. local time. He offered up to COP 5 million (about US$1,560, at the open.er-api.com rate of 12 October) for information.
The Blockade at Tasajera
The second charge concerns Sunday, 11 October, when Tasajera residents blocked the coastal road between Santa Marta and Barranquilla. El Heraldo said the water protest left drivers stuck for more than five hours, citing residents.
The road is the main land link between the two Caribbean cities, and the blockade came during a school holiday week. Monday, 12 October, is also a public holiday in Colombia, ending a long weekend.
A Hard Line on Security
De La Espriella, a conservative lawyer, took office as president on 7 August. In September, he ordered 76 detainees linked to Los Pachenca moved to maximum-security prisons, Vanguardia reported.
Los Pachenca, also called the Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada, is an armed group in the mountains above Santa Marta. El Tiempo, the Bogotá daily, reported that one escapee, known as “Mongolo,” belongs to the group.
That report sits uneasily with the president’s statement that none of the fugitives is highly dangerous. The president’s post did not name any of the escapees.
What It Means for You
For US travellers, Santa Marta is the usual base for Tayrona National Park, the Lost City trek and the Sierra Nevada. The president called the fugitives low-risk, but blockades on the coastal road can disrupt airport and hotel transfers.
Visitors should follow local authorities and the US Embassy in Bogotá for security alerts. For investors, the case shows a government that removes senior officers quickly and publicly when security lapses become visible.
What Is Not Known
Officials had not said by Monday afternoon how many escapees had been recaptured. El Heraldo spells the commander’s name Jeyson Haird López Puerto, unlike the president’s Yeison López.
The count also differs, with the president citing 41 detainees and El Heraldo quoting the mayor as saying 40. The National Police had not posted its own statement on its website by Monday afternoon.
What Comes Next
Colonel Belalcázar is expected to take command of the Santa Marta police later this week. The president and the mayor say the search continues, backed by the reward.
The removal does not mean criminal charges against the outgoing commander. Any disciplinary or criminal inquiry into the escape would be a separate process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Santa Marta police commander removed?
President De La Espriella cited the escape of 41 detainees and a failure to report it promptly. He also blamed the commander for not acting on Sunday’s road blockade at Tasajera.
Are the escapees dangerous?
The president said they are not high-danger criminals and were held for theft, drug dealing and other crimes. El Tiempo reported that one escapee belongs to the Los Pachenca armed group.
Is Santa Marta safe for tourists right now?
No official travel restriction for Santa Marta was announced after the escape. Visitors should follow local authorities and US Embassy alerts, especially for road travel.
Who will lead the Santa Marta police?
Colonel Urriago, the second in command, leads on an interim basis. Colonel Jimmy Belalcázar is due to take over this week.
Sources: President Abelardo De La Espriella on X; Santa Marta Mayor Carlos Pinedo Cuello on X; El Heraldo; El Heraldo (escapees); El Tiempo; Vanguardia (all accessed 12 October 2026).
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