BOGOTÁ, Colombia — June 27, 2025
The story of Pablo Escobar is a saga woven from violence, wealth, and deep contradictions. Known as “The King of Cocaine,” Escobar’s rise from petty thief to billionaire drug lord transformed not only Colombia but the entire global landscape of organized crime. His power, brutality, and charisma made him one of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century — and a figure whose shadow still looms over Colombia today.
Humble Beginnings to Billionaire Crime Boss
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was born in Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia, in 1949. His family was poor, and young Escobar grew up in the streets of Medellín, engaging in petty theft, smuggling, and other minor crimes. However, it was the booming cocaine trade of the late 1970s and 1980s that would propel him to unprecedented wealth and power.
By the early 1980s, Escobar co-founded the Medellín Cartel, which became the largest cocaine-trafficking organization in the world. At its peak, the cartel was responsible for smuggling an estimated 80% of all cocaine entering the United States, with profits reportedly exceeding $20 billion annually.
Escobar’s fortune was legendary. Forbes listed him among the world’s richest people for seven consecutive years. He reportedly spent thousands of dollars monthly on rubber bands just to wrap his cash and lost millions each year to rats gnawing through stacks of bills hidden in safe houses.
Violence as a Tool of Power
Escobar’s empire was maintained through sheer terror. His cartel waged a bloody war against the Colombian state, law enforcement, rival cartels, and anyone who stood in its path. His infamous motto — “plata o plomo” (silver or lead) — summed up his approach: take his bribes or face bullets.
Politicians, judges, police officers, journalists, and civilians fell victim to bombings, assassinations, and kidnappings. The 1989 bombing of Avianca Flight 203, intended to kill a presidential candidate, claimed 107 innocent lives. Another attack, the bombing of the DAS security agency building in Bogotá, left more than 60 people dead and hundreds injured.
Colombia became one of the world’s most dangerous countries, its streets stained by cartel violence. Entire communities lived in fear of Escobar’s unpredictable wrath.
The Robin Hood Image
Yet, Escobar was not purely reviled. In Medellín’s poorest neighborhoods, he built housing, sports fields, and public works, earning him a Robin Hood reputation. Residents in some areas continue to view him as a hero who cared for the poor when the government failed them.
He built housing developments like “Barrio Pablo Escobar,” where thousands of people still live today. His generosity won him loyalty and created a complex legacy.
A Political Gambit
In a bid to secure his legitimacy and avoid extradition, Escobar entered Colombian politics in the early 1980s, becoming an alternate congressman. However, his political career collapsed amid revelations of his criminal activities.
Escobar’s fiercest battle was over extradition. The U.S. government demanded he be tried on American soil for drug trafficking, conspiracy, and murder. Escobar fought back with lethal force, unleashing a wave of terror to pressure the Colombian government into banning extradition.
La Catedral: The Luxurious Prison
By 1991, exhausted from years of violence, Colombia struck a deal with Escobar. He agreed to surrender in exchange for a guarantee he would not be extradited to the United States.
Instead of a conventional prison, Escobar was allowed to build La Catedral, a private fortress in the mountains outside Medellín. The “prison” featured luxurious amenities: a bar, pool tables, a jacuzzi, a waterfall, and panoramic views of Medellín. He continued running cartel operations from within its walls.
The Escape and Manhunt
La Catedral was a national embarrassment. When it became clear that Escobar was still ordering hits from inside, Colombian authorities attempted to move him to a real prison in July 1992. Escobar simply walked out the back door.
The escape sparked an international manhunt. Colombian forces, aided by the U.S. DEA, CIA, and elite military units, scoured Medellín’s streets, jungles, and mountains. Intelligence networks, wiretaps, and informants were mobilized to track down the fugitive kingpin.
The End on a Medellín Rooftop
On December 2, 1993, Escobar was finally cornered. After a phone call to his son, Colombian police triangulated his location to a neighborhood in Medellín. When forces stormed his hideout, Escobar attempted to flee across rooftops.
In a hail of gunfire, he was shot and killed. Though some conspiracy theories claim he took his own life, forensic evidence suggests he died from police gunshots.
A Legacy Still Felt Today
Escobar’s death marked the end of the Medellín cartel as a dominant force. However, it did not end Colombia’s drug trade. Other cartels, like the Cali cartel and later Mexican organizations, quickly filled the vacuum.
The scars left by Escobar’s reign still run deep in Colombia. He is a symbol of both monstrous violence and philanthropic myth. To some, he was a ruthless mass murderer who left Colombia drenched in blood; to others, he was the man who built homes and gave hope to the poor.
Globally, his story remains a cautionary tale of how organized crime can entwine with politics, business, and society itself. Escobar’s life has inspired countless books, documentaries, films, and TV series, including the popular Netflix series Narcos.
Decades later, his name evokes a powerful mix of fear, fascination, and enduring mystery. From Medellín’s crowded barrios to international headlines, the legend of Pablo Escobar remains an indelible part of Colombia’s—and the world’s—history.
