by Nelson HerasFIVE THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED, this is the number of victims of Pablo Escobar's attempt to keep his drug business alive. When you think of this number you can't keep yourself from thinking of how horrible this man was. Then you hear the number FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE and that is the number of homes he built for the poor when no one else was giving them anything. So, was Pablo Escobar a horrible person? I just returned from spending one week in Colombia, the perfect place to hear opinions on one of the most notorious drug lords, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria. First, it is important for me to tell you my thoughts on Pablo Escobar. What I think of him is that without a doubt, he was responsible for many horrible events during his reign; however, we don't hear of or perhaps we ignore the fact that he also helped many people in need and gave back to the community, more than the Colombian government ever did. Escobar started illegal activities at a very young age. He would steal tests at school and sell them. As he became older he took part in the whiskey and cigar contraband trade and later learned of the cocaine business and how much money it was projecting. Since drug trafficking was such a new thing, it was not yet illegal. Escobar quickly rose to power and controlled approximately 80% of the cocaine distribution, his net worth was around 30 billion dollars and had so much money that he would store it in a warehouse and write-off $1 million as rat food, rats plagued the warehouse. He spent at least $20,000 on rubber bands alone, just to hold his money together. It is said that everyone has their price and that's what Escobar went by. He bought off everyone, from members of the military, to judges, to politicians and everyone who got in his way. Whoever did not want to take money he would have them killed, this is where the famous line comes from "plata o plomo" which translates to "silver or lead." You would think that Colombians hate Escobar, but on the contrary, people from Medellin, his hometown, loves him. I visited and people respect him, but of course not everyone does. I took a tour and my tour guide spoke to me about first-hand experiences of living during the violence of the Escobar era. She told me she witnessed a lot of the horrible events and that it is important to remember them so you won't relive them. I visited what was once the building where Escobar was shot down and what is now a mural created by the people of Medellin. I also went to Pablo Escobar's tomb and saw many fresh flowers which means that he still receives love. The neighborhood where Pablo had many homes built is considered "Barrio Escobar." I return to my initial question: was Pablo Escobar a horrible person? I have mixed feelings about Pablo Escobar. I know of all the crimes he committed but I am also aware of all the good he did and how much he gave back to his community; therefore, I don't have a concrete answer on whether he was a hero or a villain. As with all of us, his life took the path it did because of his life experiences.
1 Comment
pablo escobar
5/2/2019 09:31:07 am
I was a bad dude.
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