Germán Miranda lost his post as Colombia’s fire director on Saturday 3 October 2026, after 26 days in office. Municipal and volunteer brigades still handled day-to-day firefighting. President Abelardo de la Espriella requested Miranda’s removal on X, and Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara confirmed it minutes later.
A discretionary removal
De la Espriella said he had learned of facts “of the utmost gravity,” but offered no details about the allegations. He wrote that “the mere suspicion of irregular conduct” would be enough to demand an official’s exit and added that “there will be no leniency” toward conduct that compromises transparency, La República reported.
According to Infobae, Lara said Miranda had been “declared insubsistente on the spot.” The declaration cancels a discretionary appointment and requires no prior disciplinary ruling. Officials hadn’t said what evidence the minister meant, and reports available by Saturday afternoon said no interim head had been named.
El Tiempo, Semana and La FM published excerpts of recordings in which Miranda allegedly discussed a prosecution involving Bernardo Morales, the Envigado fire commander near Medellín. Infobae, citing El Tiempo, reported that Miranda allegedly sought money in exchange for steps before prosecutors. La FM noted that the excerpts alone don't prove obstruction, and the recordings hadn’t been authenticated.
Money allegations, no finding
Infobae, La Opinión and Diario La Libertad also reported an audit case at the Contraloría, the Comptroller General’s Office. The alleged loss was initially put at COP 115 million, or about US$35,000 at 3,312 pesos per dollar, the 2 October close. Diario La Libertad said the case concerns a contract between the directorate and a network of higher education institutions.
The audit case has produced no finding. Miranda rejected it as persecution in August, Semana reported. Whether the Fiscalía, the Attorney General’s Office that brings criminal cases, will open an inquiry into the allegations surrounding his removal remained unclear.
La Opinión and Infobae reported that administrative staff at the directorate had questioned whether Miranda met degree and experience requirements. That opinion became public when he was appointed. Miranda had previously led the directorate under President Juan Manuel Santos, whose term is given as 2010–2018.
Fire response rests with local crews
Lara swore Miranda in on 7 September as crews fought forest fires in several departments. El País of Cali reported 21 active fires that day across Tolima, Cauca, Vichada, Norte de Santander, Valle del Cauca and Nariño. Large burns hit Tolima in August and the hills above Villa de Leyva in Boyacá in September.
The directorate coordinates municipal and volunteer brigades and channels national support; the brigades handle firefighting day to day. El País and La República reported that Miranda had more than 20 years in the national fire system. The coverage didn’t identify a union response or a reported profit from the contract under audit.
The leadership change follows another abrupt departure at the top. On 8 April 2025, then-president Gustavo Petro declared director Lourdes Peña del Valle insubsistente over contracting concerns, Asuntos Legales reported. The latest removal took effect through the discretionary appointment process, while the recordings remained unauthenticated and the audit case unresolved.