Though debated, many believe Escobar funded the 1985 M-19 guerrilla attack on the Supreme Court to destroy files related to extradition. The Fall: La Catedral and the Search Bloc
But the duality of Pablo Escobar is what makes his story so enduring. He was a man who could order the assassination of a presidential candidate in the morning and watch a soccer game with his family in the afternoon. At the height of his power in the 1980s, his empire, the Medellín Cartel, was supplying 80% of the world’s cocaine, earning him the title of the world’s first "narco-terrorist" and, for a time, the seventh-richest man in the world. pablo escobar
Escobar illegally imported four hippopotamuses for his private zoo at his estate, Hacienda Nápoles . Following his death, they escaped. Today, there are over 150 wild hippos roaming Colombia—the largest population outside of Africa. They are an invasive species, and scientists warn they are a disaster for local biodiversity. The government is currently trying to sterilize and cull them, facing backlash from animal rights activists. Though debated, many believe Escobar funded the 1985
The turning point came when Escobar made the fatal mistake of killing presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán. That act united the Colombian government, the US DEA, and a vigilante group called Los Pepes (People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar). At the height of his power in the
On December 2, 1993—one day after his 44th birthday—the Search Bloc tracked Escobar to a middle-class neighborhood in Medellín called Los Olivos . A shootout ensued on the rooftops. was shot in the leg and the head as he attempted to flee across the tiles. He was declared dead at the scene.
The logistics of his operation were staggering. He purchased a fleet of planes, including Learjets and helicopters, to transport the white powder. He employed an army of pilots, chemists, and enforcers. The sheer volume of cash became a logistical nightmare; Escobar reportedly spent $2,500 a month just on rubber bands to hold the stacks of bills together. He purchased a sprawling estate named Hacienda Nápoles, complete with a private zoo, a bullring, and an airstrip.
By the mid-1970s, Escobar had founded the Medellín Cartel. His strategy was simple but brutally effective: control every aspect of the trade, from the coca fields in Peru and Bolivia to the processing labs in Colombia and the distribution networks in Miami and New York.