Note
Studied by 6 peopleIn-Depth Notes on Pablo Escobar: The Godfather of Cocaine
Pablo Escobar's Profile
Known as the richest and most violent criminal in history.
Head of the largest criminal organization ever: the Medellín cartel.
Made cocaine popular in America, comparable to Ford's impact on the automobile industry.
Personal fortune of approximately $3 billion.
Brought cocaine to America, significantly changing the landscape of drug trafficking in the 1980s and establishing a new market that fueled addiction and violence.
Max Mermelstein - Testified against Pablo Escobar
Escobar's Early Life - Named El Patron (The Boss)
Born in 1949 in Colombia, son of a farmer and a teacher.
Sweet, animal-lover - grew up in Envigado, a suburb of Medellin
His house was religious.
Grew up during "La Violencia" (a period of intense violence in Colombia). - 300,000 people were killed - 2 political parties waged war for nearly 40 years.
Clashes with security forces.
People were heavily armed - 4 murders a day.
Became involved in crime as a teenager after being expelled from school - involved in petty crimes.
Early activities included stealing tombstones and cars - easy money/scam, sold as new.
Rise to Power
Introduced to drug smuggling through family connections.
Initially transported coca paste from rural areas to Medellín.
Transformed from a courier to a drug smuggler; first recorded arrest in 1974 for stealing a red Renault (car).
Late teens, started killing people for salary.
Started his operations with a small team in the late 1970s.
His cousin introduced him to drug smuggling.
By 1982, he was a multi-millionaire, owning property such as the luxurious Hacienda Napoles + helicopter and private zoo.
Equal to leading corporations - His cartel grew to be very powerful, rivaling major global businesses and corrupting entire governments in Colombia and beyond.
For years, no president could stop him, no prison could keep him.
Medellín Cartel Development
Cocaine street value - $35,000 a kilo.
Escobar’s flight coordinator to smuggle cocaine - Max Mermelstein.
Formed alliances with other drug traffickers, leading to increased shipments and operational efficiency.
Utilized innovative methods for transporting drugs to the U.S., including partnerships for larger cargo flights and storage in the Bahamas.
Built an organized network rivaling legitimate corporations, creating an environment where business could thrive while avoiding law enforcement detection.
1979 - Escobar partnership with Carlos Lehder.
Bahamas - Robert Vesco - understood industrialization of crime.
Escobar purchased an island called Norman’s Key - they flew cocaine to the island then broke it up into smaller parcels to be distributed across the United States, effectively establishing a distribution hub that significantly increased profits and expanded his reach in the illicit drug market.
Escobar was seen as Robin Hood.
Cocaine Trade Domination
By the early 1980s, Escobar was smuggling approximately 400 kilos per flight, resulting in profits of $10 million per trip.
Miami was a point of entry for much of the cocaine destined for the United States - demand was so great in the US.
Cocaine was the fashionable drug in the early 80s.
Maintained control over his operations through violence and intimidation, ensuring that competitors and law enforcement were kept in check.
Young assassins became part of his operation, conducting murders on order, helping maintain a climate of fear.
U.S focus on marijuana and heroin from mexico created a gap in the market for cocaine from Colombia
They saw themselves as not doing something illegal.
Political Involvement
Created a strong support system by helping people.
Elected to Congress in 1982, using his political influence to further his interests.
Politicians were often bribed - if they refused, they would be threatened to be killed.
Government didn’t care about Escobar’s trade - U.S problem, not a Colombian problem.
Managed to become a folk hero in poorer neighborhoods by funding community projects, providing resources that the state had neglected.
Used political connections to shield his business and undermine law enforcement efforts, successfully using lobbying tactics to circumvent legal scrutiny.
Narcocracy : A term used to describe a society where the government is infiltrated by drug trafficking organizations, leading to widespread corruption and complicity, ultimately perpetuating a cycle of violence and impunity.
Eliminate extradition to the US.
Violence and Terror
Competition - 3 Ochoa brothers
1981 - compete or cooperate - later became the Medellin Cartel
MASS - ‘death to kidnappers’ - one of the Ochoa sisters was kidnapped.
Young thugs became valued employees in escobar’s multi-million business - violence was their trademark.
Gory torture methods.
Adopted a policy of terror against rivals and law enforcement, including car bombings, targeted assassinations, and brutal violence against anyone perceived as a threat.
Targeted politicians, journalists, and anyone opposing him, leading to widespread fear and panic among the population.
The assassination of Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla in 1984 marked a significant turning point in the war on drugs, intensifying the government’s crackdown on narcotics trafficking.
In public, politician Escobar denounced the minister as an American puppet - the government was unable to protect him.
A rich businessman offered to give him protection.
Escobar never stood trial for the assassination.
Escobar was welcomed in Nicaragua - he continued to coordinate new drug routes with the governments of Nicaragua, Panama, and Cuba.
Barry Seal - Pilot that became a drug smuggler - $1 million per trip.
He became an informant for the US government - DEA
Got proof that the Nicaraguan government were financing their economy through the drug trade.
Oliver North was running the covert operation to supply the Sandinistas with drugs.
Seal was assassinated by a four-man hit team.
Destruction of the judiciary system was the first step to take over the country.
They had a fear of extradition - files were destroyed.
Jaime Ramírez + Minister of Justice - Were on a death list - Both assassinated.
People that opposed Escobar paid with their lives.
Carlos Galan - Killed at a campaign rally.
5 years of the government trying to capture Escobar - had safe houses on hills.
The U.S. Response
1982 - Call for a national crusade against drugs
Cocaine made a higher priority.
The U.S. initiated significant anti-drug efforts in the 1980s, focusing on stopping cocaine smuggling and dismantling large-scale drug organizations.
DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ether barrels shipped to Colombia were tracked via transponders.
Found a remote place in Colombia - huge lab to process cocaine.
Collaboration increased with Colombian authorities post-Lara's assassination, as both nations recognized the need for a united front against drug lords.
Funding for Colombian anti-drug operations led to high-profile arrests and drug busts, showcasing the growing international commitment to combat cocaine trafficking.
Tranquilandia - Land of Tranquility - Cocaine processing lab.
Fall from Power
Went to prison built on his land after he surrendered - suite, kitchen, bathroom with jacuzzi, bar.
Had phones, faxes, computers to continue his drug trafficking.
He was going to be taken to a normal prison - he did not want to go.
17 months - 11,000 search warrants for Escobar after he escaped.
After years of remaining elusive, Escobar's communication mishaps led to his downfall; a final phone call to his son in December 1993 inadvertently revealed his location to authorities - he made the call from a fixed location, not a moving taxi.
Escobar was killed on December 2, 1993, during a police raid, marking the end of an era for the Medellín cartel.
Legacy
Escobar's death led to the rise of the Cali cartel, which adopted more sophisticated drug trafficking operations, using methods that were more subtle and effective than Escobar’s.
Despite his elimination, cocaine trade soared and evolved, leading to new players and drug trafficking methods, illustrating the resilience of the drug trade.
Escobar's life and atrocities have left a lasting impact on Colombia and the global drug landscape, influencing socio-economic conditions, law enforcement strategies, and international relations.
Cultural Perception
In some parts of Colombia, he is still viewed as a kind of modern Robin Hood figure due to his charity efforts, complicating the narrative surrounding his legacy.
He would distribute food to the poor - very kind to the poor.
Hired locals to do construction, teach in his school, work in businesses.
His dual legacy as a ruthless drug lord and benefactor continues to influence social perceptions of his life and criminal activities, reflecting the complexities of morality in the context of socio-economic hardship.