Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria infamously ruled the streets of Medellín, Colombia, until his death in 1993. For many long grueling years, Colombians lived in constant terror from violence caused by the drug cartels. The drug-lord’s international fame has increased in recent years thanks to Netflix original series, Narcos. However, today, Medellín is reviving and thriving.
I learned about far more than Pablo Escobar on the tour. What I learned beyond anything that day, was of the resilience and authenticity of the Colombian people.
I wrote a little blurb about Carlos, our tour guide, in my previous post: Medellín ~ 6 Ways To Have A Blast In Today’s Greatest Latin American City. After all, this tour is one of my 6 recommendations. Please visit this link for more information about the tour, and for links to book your own Pablo Escobar tour in Medellín.
Here is a recap about Carlos:
Carlos is a former police officer who played an active role in the battle against Pablo Escobar and the infamous drug cartels of Colombia.
He fell victim to bribery by the Escobar clan. His option was “accept money and comply, or die”. Haunted by guilt, he turned himself into to his superiors, who pardoned him. After all, they were all in the same boat together.
Even after Escobar’s death, Carlos continued to fight against the drug-lords who plagued his country. Eventually, Carlos was run out of Colombia by an angry cartel wanting revenge for his role in an incarceration. He fled to Rhode Island, USA with his family, where they lived for 9 years. He returned home several years ago, when he received word that his enemies died in prison. Today, Carlos is grateful that his home country is finally a safe place to live. He muses that after all he went through, it is appropriate that Pablo Escobar (the man who nearly killed him on multiple occasions) is now a source of prosperity in his life.
Enough talk. This post is really to share with you footage compiled from my Pablo Escobar tour. It’s, apologetically, my longest video. But it’s really interesting (I think so, anyway) and educational. I hope you enjoy it. 😊
*This video contains content and language not suitable for children.
