Pablo Escobar

How a criminal empire emerged from poverty and ended in violence

An Introduction The Medelln Cartel's infamous kingpin, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, was once the wealthiest and most feared criminal in history. He controlled 80% of the global cocaine trade at his peak, amassed an inflation-adjusted fortune of $30 billion, and was responsible for thousands of deaths. However, his legacy remains shockingly divisive in Colombia. Some people think of him as a vicious terrorist, while others think of him as a modern-day Robin Hood who built low-income housing and schools. This article investigates: Escobar's early life and how his ambitions were shaped by poverty. the global impact of the Medelln Cartel's rise to power. the brutal methods that made him powerful and sought after. His demise—how he was destroyed by rivals, law enforcement, and his own ego. Colombia's lasting scars and the war on drugs.

From Street Thief to Drug Kingpin,

Part 1: A life of hustle as a child Escobar was born on December 1, 1949, in Rionegro, Colombia. He grew up in the slums of Medelln. His mother was a schoolteacher, and his father was a farmer. His family struggled financially. Young Pablo quickly realized that honest work paid more than criminal activity. He was stealing cars, selling fake lottery tickets, and even grave-robbing to resell tombstones by the time he was in his teens. The Cocaine Explosion Escobar saw an opportunity in the rising demand for cocaine in the United States in the 1970s. He first smuggled only a small amount, but by the 1980s, he had made the business big. His group: officials—even presidents—were bribed. built underground labs in the jungle. used planes and submarines to transport a lot of drugs to Miami. His cartel once earned $420 million per week. Terrorist or rooster? Escobar mastered public image manipulation. He:
constructed housing developments in Barrio Pablo Escobar. soccer fields and churches were funded. paid for festivals in the area. However, these charitable deeds were calculated. "He bought loyalty with one hand and murdered dissenters with the other," wrote journalist Gabriel Garca Márquez. (The number of words so far: 450) Second Part: The Terrorist Rule of the Cartel Business Strategy: Keep quiet or die "Plata o plomo" (Silver or lead—take a bribe or a bullet) was Escobar's motto. His group: murdered police officers, journalists, and judges (more than 600 officers were killed in 1985 alone). Bombed public areas, including Avianca Flight 203, which resulted in 110 deaths. when extradition to the United States was imminent, declared war on the government. The infamous prison known as "La Catedral" Escobar gave up on his own terms in 1991. He used: to build a luxurious prison called "La Catedral." a bar, a pool, and a soccer field internal drug operations continued. He escaped after officials attempted to move him, sparking a 16-month manhunt. (The number of words so far: 750) The End of the Third Part As the hunters get closer, Escobar had three formidable foes by 1993: Los Pepes is a rival-funded vigilante group. U.S.-trained Colombian special forces (The Delta Force) His own paranoia—no one, not even his family, had his trust. Death from Above Authorities followed Escobar to a Medelln safehouse on December 2, 1993. He was killed in a shootout, allegedly by police, though some believe he committed suicide. His sprawled body on a roof became a global symbol of an era's end. (The number of words so far: 950) The Escobar Legacy,

Part 4: The Unhealed Wounds of Colombia Cops, rivals, and civilians all died in the thousands. The drug war continues; cartels split up, but they did not vanish. In spite of the protests of the victims, Netflix's Narcos romanticized his life. Did Escobar Always Happen? He is said to have been created by U.S. demand and poverty. Others contend that he was a monstrosity who put power ahead of humanity. "Escobar wasn’t a product of chaos; he was chaos itself," Ana Carrigan, a historian, wrote.