Close Protection-Security Drivers, Bottlenecks, and Attempted Murder!

“Close Protection Security Driver” is not a title I’m fond of. As Close Protection (CP) providers, we already have enough on our plates. It seems that every week, one or two new “specialties” are added to the mix that we’re expected to master just to maintain our professional standing within the community.

These model specialties are usually introduced by newcomers who bring everything to the table—except the ability to physically protect their client. Being so “modern” as to regard violence as neanderthal—which, let’s be honest, it is—has led to physical protection skills? being seriously frowned upon, replaced by new-wave soft skills.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to start this off as a rant!

To me, a CP provider ‘should’ have advanced driving skills—no problem. (I have met some that don’t even drive!!)? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? A security driver can have CP skills, no problem. They may even be armed if the risk assessment requires it—again, no problem. However, one should not replace the other. Cover for each other in an emergency? Yes. In a situation where something messy hits the fan, they can be interchangeable. But having one does not negate the necessity of the other.

Over the years, I’ve attended several advanced driving courses and am qualified and registered as an “armed security driver” with the Ministry of the Interior or the relevant police authorities. I’ve stepped in as a security driver when needed, as part of larger protective structures. But for most of my career, I’ve been a CP provider first and foremost.

I can drive the VIP, but it’s not my first choice!

When I work CP and transport is required, my smallest detail is a two-person driver-CP team. If I’m employed as the driver or step in out of necessity, that doesn’t change. The smallest detail is still a two-person team. One role doesn’t negate the other. The key is that both roles are covered.

When I’m in an IBG (individual bodyguard) position, I do not drive—period. A CP provider in transit has their own job to do, and it's essential: scanning and counter-surveillance. That’s what CP does.

They’re not there to sleep…Wake up, I’m talking to you!

Let me share an incident, almost fatal, where one replaced the other, to the detriment of the task at hand. I believe it could have been completely avoided had my golden rule not been broken.

In the early hours of Sunday, October 20, 2024, Diego, the son of Ecuadorian politician Jimmy Jairala, was ambushed as his car arrived at the bottleneck entrance of a private residential complex on the outskirts of Guayaquil. Normally, Diego drives his friends home, but this time, his father had concerns about his safety, so he had recently hired a security driver.

Jimmy Jairala is a presidential candidate in the upcoming Ecuadorian general elections. He’s not necessarily a frontrunner, but his political commitment is genuine, and his life, and that of his loved ones is as important as any other candidates.

Eleven bullets struck the car, six of them straight through the driver’s door. Diego wasn’t driving this time, Cipriano Qui?ónes, the recently hired security driver, was behind the wheel. Qui?ónes got hit by four bullets but, miraculously, he survived.

Cipriano didn’t return fire. He was too busy heroically doing his job, (security-driver) keeping control of the vehicle while being shot multiple times. You might wonder why the CP provider didn’t return fire either. Well, that’s simple: there wasn’t one.

Why? Because, thanks to films like Jason Statham’s The Transporter, clients now think a security driver can do it all.?

They can’t.

Moreover, they shouldn’t be expected to. Security drivers shouldn’t have to pretend they can do the job of two people just to keep a contract. Be honest with your clients. Sure, it might cost you some jobs, but your integrity and their safety should be worth that at least.

Without a CP provider, there was no one to look out for, or to anticipate the ambush, no one to defend, lay down suppressing fire or attack, no one to redirect the vehicle, no route plan, and no risk assessment. No one to evacuate the clients, attend to the wounded driver, or take over driving.

As clients, if you think you need a security driver, at least get professional advice about whether you also need CP. If you know you need CP and plan to travel by vehicle, you definitely need a security driver. Don’t expect one person to do the job of two at the same time.

Or am I wrong?

As CP providers, we have a diverse skill set, or at least we should, which first and foremost means “protector.” Many skills will come along as you grow in your career. Some skills are practiced until we’re proficient; others we seek out specifically and add to our CVs, hoping they’ll enhance our chances of employment while also hoping we’ll never need to use them.

But the fundamental should always be to: protect.

Six hours after the attack, Ecuador’s Minister of the Interior and the National Police Commanding General stated that this was not a political act but rather an attempted robbery. I won’t dive into the political implications here, but the fact that such a high-level response was given suggests otherwise. Especially considering no robbery was actually attempted!

Since the clampdown on crime began in January, extortion has skyrocketed 800%, and murders are up 300%. That’s not the kind of success story you want to hear, but here we are. Ecuador is facing serious challenges, and that’s without diving into the political chaos following the assassination of the candidate Fernando Villavicencio Valencia in the run up to the previous election. Several candidates have already dropped out of this race over security fears.

The clampdown raised $500 million through a nationwide income and revenue tax to improve security. Yet, in 10 months, only $69 million has been invested in security measures. Unfortunately, no shooter ever approached the car, nothing was stolen, and no one was kidnapped. So what’s really going on?

In the last elections, a clear front-runner, Luisa González, was leading until Villavicencio was shot and killed—murdered as he left a campaign gathering. That event changed the entire political landscape. Luisa 's party (Revolución Ciudadana) was initially blamed for organizing the assassination, but the contrary has since been proven. Seven men were detained in connection with the killing, including one, the shooter, who died under questionable circumstances shortly after being taken into custody. Six others were murdered in prison the same day after they agreed to reveal the intellectual authors of the crime to FBI investigators.

Luisa lost the election that time, to someone who, before the shooting, wasn’t even in the running.

Working as a Close Protection provider is often challenging for many reasons. Soft skills, what we used to call good manners, are essential for growth in this industry. But don’t ever forget that you are, first and foremost, protectors. One day, you may be called upon during your normal working hours to protect your client from multiple, violent, armed attackers, and by extension, yourself and your loved ones.

Don’t sell yourself and your colleagues short by claiming you can do it all. You can’t, and convincing yourself, and others that you can, may work for a while. But in the end, that lie might be your last.

In the example above, everyone survived, although Cipriano Qui?ónes won’t be playing football with his kids anytime soon. You could say, “all’s well that ends well,” but you shouldn’t, because that’s not what we do. That’s not who we are.

A month ago, I was asked to go to Ecuador and assist in the security planning for one of the presidential candidates. This will be my fourth South American electoral campaign, and they are challenging, to say the least.

With crime statistics in Ecuador soaring, the current president refusing to grant extra state security to candidates, political and social unrest, and narco-politicians turning the streets upside down, the next few months are shaping up to be interesting.

Stay tuned.