The mayor, Yahir Acuña, defended his project and assured that there was nothing irregular or illegal about private surveillance groups patrolling the city.
Photo: Sincelejo Mayor’s Office
After having carried out an inspection of the private security company Vipers Ltda, the Superintendency of Surveillance issued a precautionary measure that seeks to immediately suspend patrol activities carried out by armed men dressed in black in Sincelejo (Sucre). Mayor Yahir Acuña would have contracted mobile and fixed security services to the company Vipers Ltda until December 2027, for the sum close to $25 billion.
The security strategy did not take long to raise controversy and was even considered by the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, as a resemblance to paramilitary groups. He himself asked to quickly dismantle these patrols supposedly created to improve the security of the department’s capital, having a main presence in public works and city parks.
The precautionary measure of the Superintendency of Surveillance is “in order to safeguard the provision of private surveillance and security services in compliance with the applicable regulations in force to ensure respect for the rights and freedoms of the community, taking into account the respective visit carried out and the corresponding body of evidence, a precautionary measure of immediate suspension of activities will be imposed, which complies with the legal canons established for this purpose,” explains the decision document.
Mayor Acuña reacted to this precautionary measure, highlighting the importance of continuing with these private security groups in Sincelejo, who support the Police in the fight against crime, and will be under surveillance by the Superintendency of Surveillance.
Acuña also questioned the words of Minister Velásquez, stating that these groups have no similarity with the Convivir, and that he will meet with the Minister of Defense to explain the scope and regulatory support of said group.
For his part, in an interview with the Wthe mayor of Sucre stressed that “if the security companies cannot take care of our public parks, our public works, we are faced with the need to modify the constitution and the law and do away with the security companies. I don’t know what it is that generates so much controversy,” while denying the veracity of the reports on alleged excesses committed by the patrol groups.
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