Hélmer Herrera Buitrago

Francisco Hélmer Herrera Buitrago (August 24, 1951 – November 6, 1998), better known as "Pacho", was a Colombian drug trafficker who was one of the four leaders of the Cali Cartel. He was principally in charge of the organization's cocaine distribution network in New York City until his surrender in 1996.

Early years Herrera grew up in the Colombian town of Palmira, in the Valle del Cauca Department. While in high school, Herrera studied technical maintenance, an experience that got him a job later in the United States. Living in the United States, he also became a jeweler and precious metals broker until he began selling cocaine in New York City. In 1975, and 1978, Herrera was arrested on distribution charges in New York City for selling cocaine.

Cali Cartel In 1983, Herrera went to Cali, Colombia, to negotiate supply and distribution rights with the Cali Cartel for New York City. He later opened up trafficking routes for the Cali Cartel through Mexico, with connections he had previously established.

Herrera also ran one of the "most sophisticated and profitable money laundering operations", according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Herrera operation, according to the DEA, involved importing cocaine base from Peru and Bolivia, which was then trafficked via his own transportation to conversion laboratories in Colombia. It is believed that Herrera hired guerrilla forces such as Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) and then guerrilla group 19th of April Movement (, M-19), to guard remote lab sites. His name came to light only after a terrorist attack on a football field in Candelaria, Valle del Cauca, on September 25, 1990; 20 gunmen dressed in army and police attire opened fire on the crowd where Herrera was sitting, killing 18, but not hitting Herrera. The attack was attributed to the Medellín Cartel, and particularly to Pablo Escobar, who apparently blamed Herrera for a car bomb which exploded on January 13, 1988, in the Escobar-owned Monaco apartment building, located in one of the most affluent areas in Medellín. The war between the cartels led to much bloodshed, but Herrera took a back role and left the fighting to the Rodriguez brothers, Gilberto and Miguel.

Surrender and death On September 1, 1996, Herrera turned himself in to the Search Bloc , a unit of the Colombian National Police. which was extended to 14 years in 1998. An alternate theory aired in the aftermath of the killing suggested Uribe was actually acting under the orders of the Norte del Valle cartel who were angry with Herrera for having released information about them, and who had been eager to take up the business left behind after the capture or death of the Cali Cartel leaders.

Sexual orientation In the book, La patrona de Pablo Escobar, written by Colombian journalist José Guarnizo, Herrera was described as "an immigrant who went from being an anonymous Latin mechanic to one of the wealthiest members of the Cartel de Cali" and "one of the few homosexuals who climbed high in the pyramid of the Mafia". At the time, Herrera's crimes overshadowed any speculation regarding his sexual orientation. In the Netflix drama Narcos, Herrera is portrayed as openly gay.

In popular culture Herrera is portrayed by Pedro Mogollón, as the character Hugo de la Cruz in the TV series El cartel. In the 2021 prequel series The Snitch Cartel: Origins, a younger version of the character is portrayed by Eduardo Pérez. In the TV series Escobar, el patrón del mal, he is portrayed by Daniel Rocha as the character Gerardo Carrera. In TV series Tres Caínes is portrayed by Mauricio Goyeneche as the character of Hermes Valenzuela. In TV series En la boca del lobo is portrayed by Ricardo Vesga as the character of Elver "Chacho" Barrera. In the Netflix series Narcos and Narcos: Mexico, he is portrayed by Alberto Ammann.