Colonel Victor Zamorano He was “recalled” two weeks ago to La Paz. He was in charge of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn) in Santa Cruz. This change brought to the table some evidence about the vulnerability of this position, which becomes a ‘hot iron’, according to the agents of that institution.
Thus, in the last two years, the director of the Santa Cruz anti-drug force He was changed at least 10 times and that’s like five “returns” per year. The Government explained that they are “routine movements” and occur permanently from time to time; In fact, almost every three months there is a new department head.
But the unofficial and official reasons for the replacements have a common denominator that has to do with complaints and legal processes activated by the illegal transfer of narcotics, as well as crimes related to that activity, according to a count carried out by EL DEBER.
Changes in the general management are annual because that is what is contemplated in the promotion regulations of the Bolivian Police. Experts on security issues and police officers consulted by this newspaper consider that “it is not a good sign” that the heads of a force as sensitive as the Felcn are changed so frequently.
From the last case downwards. Zamorano’s silent departure occurred because the uniformed man was linked to and frequented a group of Bolivian musicians, some of them with open trials for drug trafficking. He shared on several occasions with these musicians in a seized house that he himself confiscated some time ago in an operation, according to data from the prosecutors in charge.
Víctor Zamorano was in charge of the Felcn from February 2024 until the first days of June. Of course, he had to face various operations, among which the incursion of intelligence personnel into an agricultural property in the municipality of San Ignacio de Velasco stands out, where the contingent faced gunfire with the bodyguards of a Brazilian boss, Lourival Máximo da Fonseca, wanted since the 90s for supplying drugs to Europe. The subject was captured and later expelled to his country of origin.
In addition, a uniformed Mobile Rural Patrol Unit (Umopar) who was in his charge, suffered burns during the interdiction of a cocaine hydrochloride factory in Bulo Bulo. It happened when he tried to incinerate a machine, but the flames reached him because the drug traffickers, fleeing the scene, sprayed the area with gasoline to attempt the life of one of the police officers.
Zamorano led the Felcn of Santa Cruz, replacing the Colonel Yumer Dante Justo Condori. Yumer was appointed director of the Anti-Drug Force in 2023 and that year he led 10,470 operations. His management was not observed until the escape of drug trafficker Sebastián Marset from the capital of Santa Cruz. The case also activated investigations and reports from Immigration officials and the Personal Identification Service (Segip) because the fugitive had a national identity when he lived in Santa Cruz.
The Uruguayan, through a video, thanked the national director of the Felcn, the Colonel Ismael Tito Villca, for helping him and alerting him to escape from an order given by the Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo. This case led to several changes.
Now him Major Rubén Moscoso He has been serving as the person in charge of the Felcn, replacing Zamorano, until the director, who may be known this week, is appointed.
Seven changes in 2022
In 2022, the greatest number of changes was observed, at least seven times in the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn), between interims and explosive cases such as that of Misael Nallar Viveros or the intervention at the Cotoca airfield.
At the beginning of the year, Colonel Victor Hugo Medina He took over at Felcn to replace Álex Bedoya, who was accused of breach of duties and improper use of influence, involved in making way for a shipment of chemical precursors, material used for drug crystallization.
Not a month passed, Medina was removed and his place was taken by Colonel Saúl James Rojas, the latter who was in command for two months, until the case of the Cotoca airfield where planes with shipments of cocaine allegedly left was revealed and for this reason he was removed. In that incident, 38 people were arrested.
In AprilColonel Jimmy Saavedra He was appointed on an interim basis and lasted in that position until May, although his work was recognized by the Vice Minister of Controlled Substances himself, Jaime Mamani. By order of the national leadership he was replaced by the Colonel Herlant Aldo Portanda.
A little over a month and after the murder of two police officers and a Gacip volunteer by Misael Nallar Viveros (who is in preventive detention in Chonchocoro) became known, the then head of the Felcn, Colonel Gregorio Illanes, issued a memorandum in which he ordered the change of Portanda to replace Miguel Ángel Burgoa for alleged links and cover-up with the main accused of the triple murder.
Opinion
Jorge Santistevan, military officer on passive duty, He believed that changes in the anti-drug force should occur due to service needs, such as an extraordinary promotion or to fulfill tasks in other departments where they are required.
“The change is not a punishment, the suspension is, But if they are changing frequently it means institutional manipulation and political interests,” he expressed in contact with EL DEBER.
He argued that under this figure there is high politicization and corrupt interests and drug trafficking.
“The top positions are attractive to the big fish and because of political ties,” he said in contact with this newspaper.
Portanda, on the list to direct the Felcn
After the removal of Colonel Víctor Zamorano, in the ranks of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn) of Santa Cruz the name of the successor has been heard loudly and that he was in said position in 2022.
Its about Colonel Herlant Aldo Portanda Ustaresthe officer who received a memorandum to leave the position of director, given the alleged cover-up he had given to Misael Nallar Viveros, the main investigator in the triple murder in Porongo in 2022. Despite these syndications, the police force was transferred to the national directorate anti-drug force intelligence
Some uniformed officers, who preferred to remain anonymous, told EL DEBER that Portanda has frequently been in Santa Cruz, designated for specific investigative tasks.
Portanda’s name came to the fore again on December 28, 2022, because in the position of national head of the Intelligence and Special Operations Group (GIOE), dependent on the Felcc, he led the Los Lobos group to capture the governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho. On that occasion, the uniformed officers intercepted the departmental authority’s vehicle, fired shots and broke the windows, to reduce it and take it to the Viru Viru airport.
According to reports from Felcn itself, Portanda is the same one who acted in 2021 to capture the civic leader of Potosí, Marco Pumari.
