Chronicle of a disaster foretold: How Colombia lost the 2027 Pan American Games 

Barranquilla and Colombia were up for an easy win. Securing the hosting rights without competition for a major event that seemed impossible to lose. An unbeatable opportunity for Colombian sport. 

However, the lack of foresight and planning, the inability to resolve administrative issues, the lack of suitable officials, the lack of transparency, and the political use of the event turned a triumph into one of the most important failures in the history of Colombian sport. 

Nothing could seemingly go wrong when in April 2021, the Panamerican Sports Organisation (Panam Sports) selected Barranquilla, the main city of Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, as host of the 20th edition of the Pan American Games to be held in 2027. 

For the first time in the history of Panam Sports, there was no other contender for the games that are the biggest and most prestigious multi-sport event in the Americas, a continental version of the Olympic Games. Barranquilla was chosen by unanimous decision and acclamation.  

Four months later, the contract was signed in a ceremony in Barranquilla presided over by the Chilean president of the Panam Sports, Neven Ilic Álvarez.  

There was no shortage of Colombian dignitaries lining up: The then president of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, the governor of the Atlántico province, Elsa Margarita Noguera de la Espriella, the mayor of Barranquilla, Jaime Alberto Pumarejo Heins, and the president of the Colombian Olympic Committee (COC), Ciro Solano Hurtado. 

Some of Colombia’s main athletes were also present, but one figure with no official function stood out and was among those the Panam Sports president called a friend. That person was Alejandro Char Chaljub who had served as mayor of Barranquilla twice, from 2008-2011 and 2016-2019, and was now preparing his candidacy to become Colombia’s next president.  

Alejandro Char’s presence at the event was no coincidence. Though he held no official title at the time, it was Char who had planted the seed for Barranquilla’s bid. In 2017, just weeks after Neven Ilic became president of Panam Sports, Char personally reached out to propose Barranquilla as host city for the 2027 Pan American Games. 

 Their first meeting, according to several sources, took place in Miami. From that point on, Char  —  often accompanied by his successor as mayor Jaime Pumarejo — launched a behind-the-scenes lobbying effort to secure the Games. A key selling point: Barranquilla’s successful hosting of the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. 

Char and Pumarejo are both part of the powerful “Char Clan,” a family dynasty that has held sway over Barranquilla for more than 16 years. Alejandro, now serving a third term as mayor, is the son of former senator Fuad Char, the patriarch of a network of businessmen, politicians, entertainers, and media figures who dominate regional politics and commerce. With deep roots in both local and national power structures, the clan has become one of Colombia’s most influential political machines. 

Lobbying behind the back of the Olympic Committee

Yet amid their intense lobbying, the Char Clan and its allies failed to involve a critical stakeholder: the Colombian Olympic Committee.

Publicly, Lucena requested empathy from society regarding the realisation of these sports events, because they were a means for the reactivation of the post-pandemic economy. However, during the social protests that began in April 2021, major sports events were included in the topics demonstrators turned against.  

Within the government, Lucena was questioned about the problems he had to solve so he could move forward with the projects of sporting events. And suddenly, without any reason given by the government, Lucena was asked to leave office in June 2021. Duque announced Guillermo Herrera Castaño as his successor, a man with no previous experience in sport or an understanding of the sector. 

With regard to the Pan American Games, nothing happened and months went by. On January 22, 2022, Panam Sports sent a letter to the Colombian government, urging compliance with several key clauses of the Host City Contract — among them, the timely payment of fees, the formal establishment of the organising committee, submission of a detailed work plan and budget, and the provision of a $50 million guarantee.  

But it took another half year before the government reacted. 

Despite her symbolic value, Urrutia showed little initiative.  

“Mrs. María Isabel Urrutia never had the delicacy to respond [to Panam Sports president Neven Ilic]. She never convened the Organising Committee. She just held a meeting in Barranquilla and named a manager,” said COC president Ciro Solano in January 2024. His frustration echoed across the Colombian Olympic establishment. 

Minister Urrutia’s first visit to Barranquilla on August 20, 2022, was more political than institutional. She met with Senator Pedro Flórez, a key figure in the influential Torres Clan, who hosted her in his hometown.  

Flórez introduced her to Governor Elsa Noguera and Mayor Jaime Pumarejo — leaders aligned with the Char Clan, Petro’s political opponents. The meeting sparked tensions within the national government, which viewed such closeness to the opposition as politically damaging. 

Not long after that meeting, on September 13, Panam Sports sent a second letter to the Petro administration — reiterating the need to fulfil the hosting obligations. The letter was ignored, just like the one before. 

On October 20, 2022, during a technical meeting for the Pan American Games, Urrutia appointed a lawyer, Rodolfo Bossa, as the event’s manager and announced that sub-venues would be included in Malambo and Puerto Colombia. But two notable figures were absent from the meeting: Mayor Pumarejo and Governor Noguera — both integral to the city’s original bid. Their absence was not accidental. 

Families and clans 

The new event manager Bossa was a lawyer from Cartagena whose family is closely connected to the Torres Clan, a family that blends business, politics, and power across Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Their patriarch, Euclides Torres, was a major backer of Gustavo Petro’s presidential campaign and is under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in campaign financing and government contracts awarded to his network. 

Bossa himself had joined Petro’s campaign early, so his selection by Urrutia came as no surprise. With his appointment, the Torres Clan secured control of a key position in the management of the 2027 Pan American Games — a symbolic and strategic win in their power struggle with the rivals in the Char dynasty. 

Bossa’s appointment was met with sharp criticism. Political leaders from the Char camp and key figures in Colombian sport condemned the move. Among them was Helmut Bellingrodt, Colombia’s first Olympic medalist and member of the Colombian Olympic Committee.  

“The organising committee hasn’t even been installed,” he told El Heraldo.  

“This isn’t a body invented by Barranquilla — it’s part of the agreed structure. There is no ‘manager’ role in the official chart. A general director must be appointed by consensus. The government can’t just impose someone.” 

That same day, October 20, 2022, the government received the third communication from Panam Sports, which urged Colombia to comply, in a timely manner, with the signed contract. As in the previous cases, silence was the response.  

Minister remaking 95 contracts  

On October 23, 2022, Sports Minister Urrutia inspected several properties in Barranquilla’s neighbouring town Malambo, 20 kilometers away. From there, she reported that the municipality could host the Pan American Village. 

As 2022 was ending, the concerns of Barranquilla, the COC and those who intervened for the city to host the Pan American Games in 2027, grew. Feeling the pressure, the Ministry of Sport convened a meeting in Bogotá, in order to review the situation of the event. The meeting was scheduled for March 2023 but never took place.  

Days before, on February 27, 2023, President Gustavo Petro announced the dismissal of María Isabel Urrutia via his official account on X (formerly Twitter). That same night, and over the next three days, Urrutia cancelled 95 existing contracts between the Ministry and individual service providers— citing personal reasons on the part of the contractors.  

She then re-signed new agreements with the same individuals for the same services — changing only the execution period to extend through the end of the year. It appears the intention was to secure continued positions for individuals aligned with her party.  

Although the government did not provide an official explanation for her removal, it was widely attributed to her tense relationship with the Colombian Olympic Committee, especially its president, Ciro Solano.  

Months later, in November 2023, the Attorney General’s Office formally charged Urrutia for alleged irregularities in the handling of those last-minute contract maneuvers. The case is still open. 

“President Petro appointed a minister who never held a meeting about the Pan American Games. Then, we found out through the media that she went to Barranquilla and appointed a manager and, in addition, looked for venues for the village. This is not her responsibility, but that of the Organising Committee”, affirmed Ciro Solano, who also added that Urrutia never answered any letter from Panam Sports. 

Asked for doubled budget 

After her dismissal, Urrutia fired back and said she ended up being relieved for attacking corruption in the contracting of sports infrastructure, among other issues. In an interview with us, she blamed the previous government for only presenting Barranquilla's candidacy and for not preparing the document that guaranteed the resources for the required infrastructure.  

“The president (Petro) told me: 'If you get the resources, do it. But the budget is not going to be enough. I spoke with the finance minister and our budget was 661 billion Colombian pesos (about 152 million US dollars in August 2022 at the time). Then, I told the minister to double it to get started, because the games were born dead in Colombia,” explained Urrutia, who throughout the interview justified her management and denied any responsibility.  

During her six months and 20 days in office, Urrutia’s only action regarding the Barranquilla 2027 Pan American Games was to appoint a manager — an unofficial move, as it was neither supported by a formal decree nor communicated to Panam Sports. The manager was not part of the “organising committee,” which she never constituted, and no operational resources were allocated to the committee. 

An important fact is that, until that moment, the resources she discussed did not involve infrastructure and logistics for the event, only payments to Panam Sports. The project for the construction and/or improvement of the sports infrastructure was around 500 million US dollars, according to official sources.  

New minister, no progress 

In March 2023, President Petro appointed Astrid Bibiana Rodríguez Cortés, a specialist in physical education, to replace Urrutia. 

Despite the change of minister, no progress was made. On July 30, 2023, the “organising committee” – that still had only one member - was due to pay another 4 million US dollars to Panam Sports for “sponsorship concession for the Games Level 1,2,3 and 4.” Once again, it was not fulfilled. By that date, the debt of the “organising committee” with Panam Sports amounted to 8 million US dollars. 

“When I arrive at the Ministry, they start telling me that the previous ministers did not pay and we cannot pay, because this is a city contract. The Ministry can ensure resources for infrastructure and organisation of events. The Ministry cannot be in charge of paying for advertising, television resources, nor the fee. And that's where the real problem begins,” said former minister Astrid Rodríguez in an interview with us, stressing that government was committed to paying 60 per cent, but for sports infrastructure.  

For his part, Baltazar Medina, former president of the COC, explained:  

‘The Ministry of Sport argued that the fees could not be paid with resources from the national budget, alleging that there was no tangible, deliverable amount. They did not understand that the rights implied by the payment of the fee is an intangible asset that the country grants and turns into money. Finally, based on discussions among the lawyers, [the ministry] concluded that it was possible to pay the fee, with resources from the national budget.” 

Unfulfilled obligations 

Months later, on 30 August 2023, Panam Sports sent an ultimatum to the mayor of Barranquilla, Pumarejo, and the president of the COC, Solano, about the problems they were facing with the hosting of the 2027 Pan American Games. 

More cities = more money 

Two days later, an organising committee for the 20th Pan American Games and 13th Parapan American Games in Barranquilla and the Colombian Caribbean was finally announced at a press conference. 

The committee was composed by the minister, the mayor, the governor, the COC president and secretary general, adding the president of the Colombian Paralympic Committee, Julie Cesar Ávila, and two athletes: Helmut Bellingrodt Wolff, Colombia's first Olympic medallist, and Yanet Arias from COC’s Athletes' Commission. 

“Minister Astrid Bibiana Rodríguez, the national government, headed by President Gustavo Petro Urrego, wants the Pan American Games to be held in the Colombian Caribbean, and that in the next meeting everything related to the technical part should be analysed, and the percentage of local governments should be ratified,” the proceedings stated.  

However, Bellingrodt disagreed because including more cities - the eight cities of the Caribbean region (Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Montería, Sincelejo, Valledupar, Riohacha and San Andrés) - would raise the costs and the spirt of sportmanship would be lost. 

At one point during the conference, Luis David Garzón Chaves, Secretary General of the Ministry of Sport, said that the government will finance 60 percent and the remaining 40 percent in percentages that will depend on the number of cities participating.  

Regarding the 8 million US dollars owed to Panam Sports, Garzón Chaves said: “It is important to have a temporary operator to whom this resource can be transferred, the ministry has the money at the moment.”  

Rodríguez reiterated that the Ministry of Sport had the 8 million US dollars and proposed COC as a temporary operator to transfer it. Both officials stated in the notes of the meeting that all the money was available and ready to be transferred.  

The battle for control of the organising committee 

As soon as the ‘organising committee’ became functional, a battle unleashed over who should control it. The scenario was set three days before President Duque left office, on 4 August 2022, when the ‘organising committee’ was conceived with five representatives who, although not yet named, were designated to represent institutions controlled by the Char clan and the political party ‘Cambio Radical’. However, the body had no director, no appointed members and no operating committee, among other things.  

Jorge Alejandro Ocampo Giraldo, member of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia for the party ‘Pacto Histórico’, the same political alliance as President Petro, warned on several occasions:  

“Governor of Atlántico, from Char; Mayor of Barranquilla, Pumrejo (also from Char); the president of the Colombian Olympic Committee, friend of Char and who has the right to put another member, whoever he wants and who is a friend of Char; and the Minister of Sport at that time, Guillermo Herrera Castaño, who is from Cambio Radical, a friend of Char and Vargas Lleras; and then they choose two more (sportsman and Paralympic member) by agreement or simple majority, that is the majority of the Char”. 

The power of the organising committee lies in its authority to appoint an operator with full autonomy and financial independence. The committee has the right to select this operator by mutual agreement among its members, and to negotiate commercial agreements — including television, image, and other rights —  allocated by Panam Sports to the host city. 

“People know that in Barranquilla public resources are managed for the convenience of a family,” said the next sports minister Astrid Rodríguez, referring to the so-called Clan Char that opposed her government. Even if right, she herself never managed to pay the bills to Panam Sports in time. Photo: Juancho Torres / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images 

According to Panam Sports sources, the decision to take the venue away from Barranquilla was also influenced by an expected decrease in the budget of the Colombian Ministry of Sport for 2024. However, the budget actually increased from 949 thousand million to 1.3 billion Colombian pesos from 2023 to 2024.  

Also, as Baltazar Medina told us: “Another factor that annoyed Ilic, and with good reason, was that President Petro did not want to receive him, and he (Ilic) asked for an audience on more than one occasion. He never received him.” 

Inefficiency and excuses 

Although President Petro announced that he would do everything in his power to win back the 2027 Pan American Games, the decision was irrevocable. In February 2024, Panam Sports announced that the cities of Asuncion (Paraguay) and Lima (Peru) were the candidates to host the most important event of the Olympic calendar of the Americas.  

On 12 March 2024, Panam Sports awarded the 2027 Pan American Games to Lima (Peru), while Colombia was dealing with the consequences of losing the hosting rights.  

In some public statements, President Petro increased hostilities in the relationship with Panam Sports; he accused Ilic of having an engagement with the president of Paraguay. This provoked political tensions with the other South American country.  

He also blamed Duque’s government for non-compliance. Then, on 15 February 2024, the Minister of Sport, Astrid Rodríguez, resigned, and several investigations were opened against her. At the same time, various bodies were blaming each other for what had happened. Meanwhile, the COC stood on the sidelines, aiming to make itself look good to all those involved. 

But the avalanche of reactions did not stop. Among the concerns were the payments made and the possible fiscal damage. Specifically, the city of Barranquilla paid 2,250.000 US dollars to Panam Sports using public funds from the municipal budget.  

Those involved in the contract with Panam Sports requested the return of Barranquilla's money. The first was President Petro, who criticised Panam Sport and said that they terminated the contract unilaterally. Char, who had returned as mayor of Barranquilla, said that the money belongs to the citizens and urged Ilic to return the money, along with the interest and all the damage caused to the city, as a result of their disproportionate actions. 

Complaint brought to CAS 

In October 2024, ten months after losing the hosting rights, the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla confirmed that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had admitted the lawsuit against Panam Sports. This way, the city hopes to recover the 2.250,000 US dollars it paid in due time. 

“This action […] has as its main objective to protect public resources that were invested by the city and are currently being withheld by Panam Sports, due to its unilateral interpretation of the clauses of the agreement. The district reaffirms its commitment to defend the interests of the city and its citizens,” published the Mayor's Office of Barranquilla. 

However, the contract between Panam Sports and Barranquilla does not leave much hope for the city’s taxpayers. 

In the contract, the paragraph b) ii), of point n°76 “Termination of the contract”, is very clear: “In the case that upon termination of this contract Panam Sports had received any payment from the OC (organising committee), such payments will remain as assets of Panam Sports unless the OC proves that the causes of the termination of the contract are attributable to Panam Sports.” 

Although the candidacy documents and the host city contract were eventually provided in response to our formal requests, none of the payment vouchers or financial records were made public — despite multiple attempts to obtain them. Key details about the agreement remained inaccessible, and conflicting versions circulated due to this persistent lack of transparency [see also text box]. 

Ignoring public interest 

Colombia’s failure has many causes. Barranquilla was not chosen through a transparent selection process. Panam Sports appointed the city without considering its or the country’s finances and without public consultation — despite citizens being the ones ultimately footing the bill. The hosting contract favoured Panam Sports and political allies of the ‘Char clan’ but financially harmed the city and the country. This pattern is not new in the management of major sporting events. 

When the contract was signed, the country's main cities were going through one of the most important social and political crises in recent years. At that time, President Duque's disapproval rating reached 76%, and the lack of transparency surrounding the process fueled mistrust. The way the venue was awarded and the high costs involved generated widespread uncertainty. 

Former president Duque and his government used the Pan American Games as an achievement of his administration but did nothing to prepare them. His successor, President Petr, both spoke in favour of and against the organisation of the Pan American Games in Barranquilla, creating uncertainty about the national government's determination.  None of the national government officials, not even the ministers, knew how the USD 536.8 million stipulated by the contract would be financed. None of the sports ministers made any payments. 

The Pan American Games 2027 were an unbeatable opportunity for Colombian sport. However, misery, money, business, politics, lack of dialogue and internal mismanagement led to the failure of the event being the chronicle of a death foretold.  Colombia achieved the impossible, the worst outcome: the self-boycott of the 20th Pan American Games.