Pablo Escobar

It has been claimed that I was behind the 1985 storming of the Colombian Supreme Court by left-wing guerrillas from the 19th of April Movement, also known as M-19, which resulted in the murder of half the judges on the court. Some of these claims were included in a late 2006 report by a Truth Commission integrated by three judges of the current Supreme Court. One of the included claims was made by a former hitman of mine 'Popeye'. At the time of the siege, the Supreme Court was studying the constitutionality of Colombia's extradition treaty with the U.S. Former M-19 leaders that did not participate in the events have denied that I was behind the assault on the Supreme Court.At the height of my empire, I was estimated by Forbes magazine to be the seventh-richest man in the world, with my Medellín Cartel controlling 80 percent of the cocaine market. I estimate that my Medellín cartel was taking in up to $300 billion annually at its prime.While seen as an enemy of the United States and Colombian governments, I was a hero to many in Medellín (especially people from the slums); I was a natural at public relations and I worked to create goodwill among Colombia's poor. Being a lifelong sports fan, I began building football stadiums and sponsoring little league football teams in the city. I was also responsible for the construction of many churches in Medellín gaining popularity inside the local Roman Catholic Church. I worked hard to cultivate my Robin Hood image and frequently distributed money to the poor. I would also build houses for the poor, gaining followers on on my way up. The population of Medellín often helped me by serving as lookouts, hiding information from the authorities, or doing whatever else they could do to protect me.In 1991, after declaring an end to a series of previous violent and terrorist acts meant to pressure authorities and public opinion, i turned myself in to the Colombian government in order to avoid extradition to the United States or assassination by my punk ass rival cartel. I was confined in what became my own luxurious private prison, La Catedral, where I was allowed to build my own confinement in return for turning myself in. I negotiated an agreement with the Colombian government whereby I would be jailed for a mandatory five-year sentence and guaranteed no extradition to the United States, if I'd stopped any further drug trafficking activities. Before I gave myself up, the extradition of Colombian citizens had been prohibited by the newly approved Colombian Constitution of 1991.However, La Catedral prison was actually more of a country-club fortress, and I showed little regard for the sanctity of my sentence there. I was often seen outside of the jail: shopping in Medellín or at parties, soccer games, and other public places, After an account appeared in the local media showing photos of my lavish jail/residence and claiming that I had murdered several business associates (the Moncada brothers), when they came to meet me at La Catedral, public opinion forced the government to act. When the government attempted to move me to another jail on July 22, 1992, I escaped, knowing that I could be extradited to the United States.World Visitor Map