Pablo Escobar

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Colombian drug lord (1949–1993)

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (December 1, 1949 – December 2, 1993) was a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist who was the founder and sole leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed "The King of Cocaine," Escobar is the wealthiest criminal in history, having amassed an estimated net worth of $30 billion by the time of his death—equivalent to $64 billion as of 2021—while his drug cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Early Life

Pablo Escobar was born in Rionegro, Antioquia Department, Colombia, and grew up in nearby Medellín. He was the third of seven children of Abel de Jesús Dari Escobar Echeverri, a farmer, and Hermilda Gaviria, an elementary school teacher. Escobar began his criminal career during his teenage years, allegedly stealing gravestones and sanding them down for resale to smugglers.

Criminal Career

Escobar's rise to power began in the 1970s when he founded the Medellín Cartel, which controlled a significant portion of the cocaine trafficked into the United States. The cartel's operations included the production, transport, and distribution of cocaine, and it was known for its ruthless tactics, including bribery, violence, and murder.

Medellín Cartel

The Medellín Cartel was one of the most powerful and violent criminal organizations in history. At its height, the cartel was responsible for 80% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States. Escobar's influence extended beyond the drug trade; he was involved in numerous criminal activities, including money laundering, arms trafficking, and political corruption.

Political Ambitions

In the early 1980s, Escobar entered politics and was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia. His political career was short-lived, as his criminal activities became widely known, leading to his expulsion from the Liberal Party and the collapse of his political aspirations.

La Catedral

In 1991, facing pressure from the Colombian government and the United States, Escobar negotiated a deal to surrender and was imprisoned in his self-built luxury prison, La Catedral. However, he continued to run his drug empire from within the prison. In 1992, after it was discovered that he was still conducting criminal activities, the government attempted to transfer him to a standard prison, leading to his escape.

Death

Pablo Escobar was killed in a shootout with the Colombian National Police on December 2, 1993, in a middle-class neighborhood in Medellín. His death marked the end of the Medellín Cartel's dominance, although drug trafficking continued in Colombia through other cartels.

Legacy

Escobar's life and death have been the subject of numerous books, films, and television series. He remains a controversial figure in Colombia, with some viewing him as a ruthless criminal and others as a Robin Hood-like figure who provided for the poor.

Related Pages

• Medellín Cartel
• Cocaine
• Drug lord
• Narcoterrorism
• Colombian National Police
• La Catedral
• Liberal Party (Colombia)