Bogotá authorities recently shuttered an after-hours establishment near the Nemesio Camacho El Campín stadium following a surprise inspection that revealed multiple code violations. The bar, open for only seven months, had drawn scrutiny for its late operating hours and quickly became the focus of an investigation by the cityS Secretariat of Security and Government.The closure highlights ongoing efforts to regulate nightlife and enforce safety standards in the Colombian capital, with authorities now expanding their investigation to similar establishments operating under the guise of labor unions.
Authorities in Bogotá, Colombia, shut down an after-hours establishment operating near the Nemesio Camacho El Campín stadium after a surprise inspection revealed multiple code violations. The bar, which had been open for just seven months, had been attracting attention for operating late into the night.
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While the name of the bar and its owners haven’t been officially released, records obtained by local media indicate a 23-year-old woman was connected to the business.
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Blocked Windows
Authorities found windows covered with boards, hindering ventilation. Photo:Secretaría de Seguridad.
The operation, conducted by officials from the Secretariat of Security and Government alongside Bogotá police and firefighters, uncovered several safety and operational concerns. Upon entering the establishment, inspectors found a golden cobra adorning the entrance and a staircase leading to a second floor where windows were completely boarded up with black-painted planks and heavy curtains.
A man present at the location claimed the establishment functioned as a labor union, but customers questioned denied any knowledge of such an organization when asked. Authorities requested documentation to verify the union status, but the administrator was unable to provide complete records, despite maintaining it was a workers’ association.
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Prior to the inspection, the Bogotá Fire Department had visited the site in September and issued a technical assessment stating the bar failed to meet basic safety standards, lacking emergency lighting, smoke detectors, and a contingency plan. The closure underscores the city’s efforts to enforce safety regulations in nightlife establishments.
The establishment’s operating license was suspended for ten days due to these irregularities and numerous noise complaints from neighbors, citing article 92, numeral 16 of Law 1801 of 2016, which sanctions “carrying out economic activity without complying with the requirements established in current regulations.”
Business Registration Questioned
This is Yejas García’s request to cancel the registration of ‘Cleopatra.’ Photo:Private Archive.
Investigations revealed that “Cleopatra” was registered with the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce on April 9th and listed assets of 2 million pesos. The business registered its economic activities as the sale of alcoholic beverages, retail trade in non-specialized establishments selling food, beverages, or tobacco, and other personal services.
Geraldine Alejandra Yejas García, a 23-year-old Bogotá native, is listed as the owner. Records also show that on June 6th, Yejas submitted a request to cancel Cleopatra’s business registration.
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Online job postings from October 2024 indicated the establishment was seeking dancers for adult shows, room service staff, and waitresses – six months before the bar was officially registered. This suggests the business may have been operating without a license for an extended period.
Bogotá Firefighters inspected the site and found a lack of emergency lighting. Photo:Secretaría de Seguridad.
Authorities contacted Yejas García for comment regarding the lack of proper documentation for operating as a union and why the business continued to operate despite the canceled Chamber of Commerce registration. “I’m not the owner, I’m just the administrator,” Yejas García stated.
Authorities are now investigating other establishments operating as unions after 3 a.m., the legal closing time for nightlife in Bogotá.
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