A Brief History
On December 2, 1993, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot (through the ears!) and officially killed in Medellín by Colombian National Police, although his brothers claim the death was a suicide.
Digging Deeper
In 1993, the second of December was a bloody day of victory for international law enforcement. That day marked the end of Pablo Escobar (aka: Pablo Emillio Escobar Gaviria), the head of the Medellin drug cartel and the second worst (best) money launderer in human history.
Born December 1, 1949, Escobar started a long criminal career by stealing grave stones, running a variety of scams, stealing cars, and finally entering his life’s work, smuggling drugs. As the head of the Medellin drug cartel, Escobar became one of the richest men in the world, smuggling 15 tons of cocaine a day at his peak. With a personal fortune of over $3 billion, he bribed and murdered his way out of being taken to justice, while lavishing charitable works on the poorer people of Medellin. During this time the Cali cartel were his main competitors, but he moved perhaps 80% of the world’s cocaine! In 1991, after Colombia passed a law forbidding extradition (Pablo feared being sent to the United States above all) Escobar agreed to a plea bargain that jailed him in lax and luxurious surroundings, where of course he continued to lead his drug empire.
When authorities tried to limit that activity, he up and left jail and was on the run until December 2, 1993 when he met his fate at the hands of police bullets (or his own, if you believe his brothers). The police had been heavily assisted by elements of the United States government as well as by vigilantes from the rival Cali cartel.
Many movies, books, articles, and even fictional characters have been based on Escobar. Some notable adaptations or accounts of his demise, include the film Killing Pablo and the book by his brother Roberto “Escobar.” Reality and myth have combined to make Pablo Escobar the stereotype of the rich, powerful, and brutal south American drug lord.
Question for students (and subscribers): Was Pablo Escobar brought to justice in an appropriate way? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For a good documentary on the death of Escobar, please see the one put out by the History Channel:
Keane, David, dir. Killing Pablo, Dvd Archive. A&E Home Video, 2009. DVD.
For Escobar’s brother’s take on his brother’s life, please read the following memoir:
Escobar, Roberto. Escobar. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 2010.
