DRUGS 15
1-3be Established drug network
In 1982 Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia,
as part of the Colombian Liberal Party. This made Escobar the official representative of the Colombian
government for the swearing-in of Felipe González in Spain.
Escobar quickly became known internationally as his drug network gained notoriety; the Medellín Cartel
controlled a large portion of the drugs that entered the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican
Republic, Venezuela, and Spain. The production process was also altered, with coca from Bolivia and
Peru replacing the coca from Colombia, which was beginning to be seen as substandard quality than
the coca from the neighboring countries. As demand for more and better cocaine increased, Escobar
began working with Roberto Suárez Goméz, helping to further the product to other countries in the
Americas and Europe, as well as being rumored to reach as far as Asia.
1-3bf Plata o plomo
Corruption and intimidation characterized Escobar’s dealings with the Colombian system. He worked
to implement an effective, inescapable policy for dealing with law enforcement and the government,
referred to as “plata o plomo” (literally “silver or lead”, colloquially “money or bullets”). Its execution
resulted in the deaths of hundreds of individuals, including civilians, policemen, and state officials.
At the same time, Escobar bribed countless government officials, judges, and other politicians. He was
allegedly responsible for the 1989 murder of Colombian presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán, the
heavy favorite in the 1990 Colombian presidential election, as well as for the bombing of Avianca
Flight 203 and the 1989 DAS Building bombing in Bogotá. The Medellín Cartel would also be involved
in a deadly drug war with its primary rival, the Cali Cartel, for most of its existence.
1-3bg Palace of Justice siege
Escobar was held directly responsible by various media publications for the 1985 storming of the
Colombian Supreme Court.
It is alleged that Escobar backed the 1985 storming of the Colombian Supreme Court by left-wing
guerrillas from the 19th of April Movement, also known as M-19. The siege resulted in the murders of
half the judges on the court, was done in retaliation to the Supreme Court studying the constitutionality
of Colombia’s extradition treaty with the U.S. M-19 were paid to break into the Palace and burn all
papers and files on Los Extraditables — a group of cocaine smugglers who were under threat of being
extradited to the U.S. by the Colombian government. Escobar was listed as a part of Los Extraditables.
Hostages were also taken for negotiation of their release, thus helping to prevent extradition of Los
Extraditables to the U.S. for their crimes.
1-3bh Height of power
During the height of its operations, the Medellín Cartel brought in more than US $70 million per day
(roughly $22 billion in a year). Smuggling 15 tons of cocaine per day, worth more than half a billion
dollars, into the United States, the cartel spent over US $1000 per week purchasing rubber bands to
wrap the stacks of cash, storing most of it in their warehouses. 10% of the cash had to be written off
per year because of “spoilage”, due to rats creeping in and nibbling on the available money.
When questioned about the essence of the cocaine business, Escobar replied with “ simple: you bribe
someone here, you bribe someone there, and you pay a friendly banker to help you bring the money back.
” In 1989, Forbes magazine estimated Escobar to be one of 227 billionaires in the world with a personal
net worth of close to US $3 billion while his Medellín Cartel controlled 80% of the global cocaine market.
It is commonly believed that Escobar was the principal financier behind Medellín’s Atlético Nacional,
which won South America’s most prestigious football tournament, the Copa Libertadores, in 1989.
While seen as an enemy of the United States and Colombian governments, Escobar was a hero to many
in Medellín (especially the poor people). He was a natural at public relations, and he worked to create
goodwill among the poor of Colombia. A lifelong sports fan, he was credited with building football fields
and multi-sports courts, as well as sponsoring children’s football teams. Escobar was also responsible
for the construction of many hospitals, schools, and churches in western Colombia, which gained him
popularity inside the local Roman Catholic Church. He worked hard to cultivate his Robin Hood image,
and frequently distributed money through housing projects and other civic activities, which gained him
notable popularity among the poor. The population of Medellín often helped Escobar avoid police
capture by serving as lookouts, hiding information from authorities, or doing whatever else they could to
protect him. At the height of his power, drug traffickers from Medellín and other areas were handing over
between 20% and 35% of their Colombian cocaine-related profits to Escobar, as he was the one who
shipped cocaine successfully to the United States.
The Colombian cartels’ continuing struggles to maintain supremacy resulted in Colombia quickly
becoming the world’s murder capital with 25,100 violent deaths in 1991 and 27,100 in 1992.
This increased murder rate was fueled by Escobar’s giving money to his hitmen as a reward for killing
police officers, over 600 of whom died as a result.
1-3bi La Catedral prison
After the assassination of Luis Carlos Galán, the administration of César Gaviria moved against
Escobar and the drug cartels. Eventually, the government negotiated with Escobar, convincing him to
surrender and cease all criminal activity in exchange for a reduced sentence and preferential treatment
during his captivity.
Declaring an end to a series of previous violent acts meant to pressure authorities and public opinion,
Escobar surrendered to Colombian authorities in 1991. Before he gave himself up, the extradition of
Colombian citizens to the United States had been prohibited by the newly approved Colombian
Constitution of 1991; this was controversial, as it was suspected that Escobar and other drug lords
had influenced members of the Constituent Assembly in passing the law. Escobar was confined in what
became his own luxurious private prison, La Catedral, which featured a football pitch, giant doll house,
bar, jacuzzi, and waterfall. Accounts of Escobar’s continued criminal activities while in prison began to
surface in the media, which prompted the government to attempt to move him to a more conventional jail
on July 22, 1992. Escobar’s influence allowed him to discover the plan in advance and make a well-timed
escape, spending the rest of his life evading the police.
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