Pablo Escobar – a name synonymous with drug trafficking and immense power. While TV shows like Narcos have brought his story to millions, many fascinating details about this notorious figure remain largely unknown. Prepare to discover ten aspects of Escobar’s life and legacy that you probably won’t find in your standard history textbook.
10. He’s the Reason Hippos Roam Colombia
Pablo Escobar was known for importing vast quantities of drugs, but he also imported a more unusual commodity: a herd of hippos for his private zoo. After his downfall, these animals weren’t removed or euthanized. Instead, they were left to roam free and have surprisingly thrived along the Amazon River. The Colombian climate, similar to their native African environment, suited them perfectly.
While some hippos remain on his former estate, now an amusement park, others wander freely. This has sparked an ongoing debate: should these hippos, a living reminder of Escobar’s legacy, be culled, or should they be protected as a unique part of Colombian wildlife and history?
9. He Was a Catalyst for Medellin’s Transformation
Medellin is now celebrated as a top tourist destination in South America. However, its path to this status was paved with a dark past, heavily influenced by Pablo Escobar. Ironically, his reign of terror indirectly spurred the city’s remarkable revival.
To shed the shadow of violence and crime, the Colombian government invested heavily in urban improvements over three decades. These efforts led to significant transformations, including the development of Colombia’s only metro system. The city has also actively worked to erase Escobar’s physical landmarks, replacing them with parks and cultural centers. For example, the Monaco Building, one of Escobar’s residences, was demolished and replaced with a memorial park honoring the victims of his violent era.
8. Speculation Surrounds His Death: Suicide or Capture?
The official account states that the U.S. DEA was responsible for tracking and killing Pablo Escobar on a Medellin rooftop. However, some, including Escobar’s own son, question this narrative. His son claims that Escobar was an expert at eluding authorities, with strict protocols for staying hidden, such as avoiding phone calls.
Despite knowing the DEA was actively monitoring his communications, Escobar made a call to his son, revealing his location and offering a peculiar farewell. Hours later, he was ambushed and killed. This uncharacteristic behavior has led many to speculate whether Escobar, weary of his life on the run, intentionally allowed himself to be caught, perhaps even orchestrating his own end.
7. He Was a Devoted Family Man
It’s difficult to reconcile the image of a ruthless criminal with that of a loving family man, yet Pablo Escobar reportedly cherished his family deeply. According to his wife and children, he went to great lengths to ensure their safety, protection, and happiness. He could commit horrific acts of violence and then return home as if nothing had happened.
Interestingly, Escobar also tried to instill values like kindness and benevolence in his children. This suggests a complex individual who, perhaps, recognized the wrongfulness of his actions and desired a different path for his offspring. His efforts to shield his family seem to have succeeded, as they remain alive today, though they maintain a private life away from public scrutiny.
6. His “Prison” Was More Like a Luxury Resort
In 1991, Pablo Escobar struck a deal with the Colombian government: he would serve prison time in Colombia to avoid extradition to the United States, where he faced far graver consequences. However, Escobar’s idea of an incarceration was far from typical. He had a custom prison built, which was essentially a luxurious party compound.
This so-called prison, La Catedral, featured amenities like a bar, a nightclub, and a billiards room. He received frequent visitors and continued to live a lavish lifestyle. While technically imprisoned and out of the public eye, Escobar was, in his own way, still living like a king.
5. You Can Meet His Brother on a Medellin Tour
While Escobar’s wife and children prefer to stay out of the limelight, another family member is quite accessible: his older brother, Roberto Escobar. Capitalizing on his infamous brother’s notoriety, Roberto is a prominent figure in Medellin’s burgeoning narco-tourism industry.
Several Pablo Escobar tours operate in Medellin, guiding tourists through sites connected to the drug lord’s life. Often, these tours culminate in a meeting with Roberto. Described as relatively quiet, he willingly discusses the past, shares insights into life during his brother’s reign, and even poses for photos with tourists, offering a unique, if somewhat unsettling, perspective.
4. One of His Former Homes Is Now a Theme Park
While some of Escobar’s properties, like the Monaco Building, were demolished, Hacienda Napoles, one of his lavish vacation homes in the Antioquian countryside, met a different fate. Instead of razing it, the Antioquian government transformed it into a sprawling amusement park. Today, visitors can enjoy water slides, swimming pools, and a petting zoo.
Significantly, there are no overt references to Pablo Escobar within the park. Unless visitors are aware of its history, they would never guess the dark past of this popular recreational spot, a testament to Colombia’s efforts to reclaim and repurpose sites associated with its troubled history.
3. His Old “Prison” Is Now a Monastery
La Catedral, the luxurious prison Pablo Escobar built for himself, has undergone a profound transformation. After Escobar’s fall, the complex lay abandoned and fell into ruin for several years. Then, a group of monks purchased the property with the vision of converting it into a place of peace and worship.
The monks renamed the complex La Virgen Desata Nudos (The Virgin Untier of Knots) and painstakingly rebuilt it into a monastery. Today, it serves as a spiritual center where both monks and local residents gather for worship. Visitors can still see the site, but they will find a place vastly different from the opulent playground Escobar once inhabited.
2. His Former Gardener Lived in a Bombed-Out Mansion for Years
Not all of Escobar’s properties have been repurposed for positive use. Hacienda La Manuela, situated on the shores of the Guatapé reservoir, was one of his most prized estates. It was destroyed by a bomb in 1993, just months before Escobar’s death.
Remarkably, even after the bombing, Escobar’s gardener and guard continued to live illegally in the ruins for years. He even offered unofficial “narco tours” to curious visitors, many of whom hoped to find stashes of leftover cash from Escobar’s reign (none has ever been reported found). Although the Colombian government eventually took control of the property, making it officially off-limits, some clandestine tours reportedly still take visitors to the site. Alternatively, one can view the ruins from a distance on boat tours that regularly pass by.
1. He Nearly Became President of Colombia
It might seem unbelievable given his violent reputation, but Pablo Escobar was a surprisingly popular figure among many in Medellin. Despite widespread awareness of his criminal activities and brutal tactics, Escobar cultivated a Robin Hood-like image. He strategically donated vast sums of money to impoverished communities, buying their loyalty and silence.
This support base revered him as a hero who was improving their lives. Buoyed by this popularity, Escobar audaciously ran for president of Colombia. His campaign gained significant traction, and he might have even won, had it not been for Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, who publicly exposed Escobar’s criminal empire. While Bonilla’s courageous act likely saved Colombia from a narco-presidency, he tragically paid for it with his life.
Pablo Escobar’s life was a complex tapestry of brutality, cunning, and surprising contradictions. These lesser-known facts provide a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the man who once held a nation in his grip and whose legacy continues to fascinate and disturb.
What other surprising facts about Pablo Escobar do you know? Share your thoughts and any additional insights in the comments below!
