Santa Marta was no longer a city.It was a military plaza disguised as a tourist coast. A chessboard where only one piece moved everything: Gustavo Márquez.
The change was not sudden but meticulously planned. After consolidating control over Mamatoco and Boca Grande, and securing political dominance in the zones with the most voters, Gustavo executed the next phase of his plan: to turn all of Santa Marta into his personal fortress.
The People's MilitiaIt started with a simple number: 2,000 soldiers.
—Three percent of the population —said Mateo in a meeting with the zone chiefs—. All trained. All armed. All loyal.
The structure was designed as a professional paramilitary organization:
400 shock troops: specialized in urban combat, lightning raids, and elimination of priority targets.
300 community infiltrators: barbers, drivers, shopkeepers, nurses. No one knew they were soldiers, except Gustavo.
200 snipers, trackers, and hunters: chosen from ex-military, hunters from the Montes de María, and hitmen trained on the estates.
500 fixed-watch soldiers: patrolling streets, avenues, and markets disguised as workers or recyclers.
600 specialized operatives: extortion, smuggling, intelligence, technology, and logistics.
Each neighborhood had a commander, encrypted radios, and an immediate response system. Motorcycles, ambulances, taxis, even ice cream vendors were the patron's eyes and ears.
And most importantly: everyone received a fair salary. No poverty here.
—If you want a man to kill for you, first make him live for you —Gustavo would say.
Taking the CityThe takeover of Santa Marta was surgical. Without open war. Without scandals.
It began in Pescaíto, where Gustavo offered a truce to local gangs: money, positions, and weapons in exchange for loyalty. Those who refused disappeared overnight. When the sun rose, bodies hung from bridges with signs that read:"The people do not negotiate with traitors."
Then fell Bastidas, La Paz, María Eugenia, San Fernando, and more. In each, community leaders received manila envelopes filled with money and promises fulfilled: toys for the children, medical treatments for the elderly, and monthly food baskets for single mothers.
Official patrols didn't intervene. Many were already on the secret payroll of the Patron.
In six weeks, Gustavo controlled not only the streets. He controlled souls.
The Crime TridentWith territory secured, came the second phase: total domination of the three pillars of organized crime.
DrugsLabs around Minca and the Sierra Nevada worked nonstop. Gustavo diversified:
Soft drugs: gourmet marijuana for foreign tourism, packaged in eco-friendly boxes.
Medium drugs: recreational cocaine, sold in elite clubs, controlled bars, and discos.
Hard drugs: heroin, methamphetamine, and opium for marginalized sectors and international distribution.
Gustavo's cartel not only sold but also manufactured and exported.
They shipped products to Europe via Cartagena and to Central America through modified fishing boats.
Illegal GamblingEvery neighborhood had at least three clandestine betting houses. From dog races to Russian roulette with millionaire prizes.
On Sundays, card tournaments were held with entry fees up to 50 million pesos. Everything under control, with security, cameras, and even doctors on standby.
A percentage of every bet returned to the Patron's social funds.
ProstitutionGustavo did not tolerate abuse. The houses controlled by his organization were safe, clean, and managed by women. Sex workers had rights, schedules, and guaranteed health care.
—If you are going to sell your body —Gustavo once said— at least do it under my rules, not under the filth of others.
But those who kidnapped girls, drugged them, or forced them did not live to tell the tale.
The God of the PeopleThe people did not call him a criminal. They called him protector.
In the neighborhoods, his face was painted on murals. The old ladies prayed to him like a saint. The youth saw him as a role model. And in schools, his donations kept classrooms open.
At every "Patron's Support Center," people received food, technical education, basic medical care, and free legal advice.
—Before, we had nothing —a mother said—. Now we have the Patron.