 Although Colonel Ramírez was not properly recognized while alive for facing almost alone the power of the drug cartels, his importance has been acknowledged years after his death, thanks to historical accounts from different sources, including his own former enemies such as John Jairo Velásquez, alias Popeye, lieutenant of Pablo Escobar, who published a book, "Surviving Pablo Escobar" (2015), where he described the crimes of the Medellín Cartel.Colonel Ramírez was murdered one month before what would have been his promotion to Brigadier General.After his death, the Direction of the Colombian Police suspended a posthumous promotion allegedly because "he died outside a police operation".