For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pablo Escobar he was the king of cocaine and head of the Medellin Cartel in the 80’s and 90’s. The intensity of the drug trafficking and ongoing war between cartels made Medellin one of the most dangerous cities in the world in the late 90’s. Since then the city has made drastic changes to overhaul its image and increase tourism with the Pablo Escobar tour as a favorite among backpackers. Over three hours our tour guide, Alejandra, took us around the city explaining the life of Pablo Escobar and culture of the Medellin drug scene.
Our first stop was one of Escobar’s old properties, of which there are hundreds around the world including the United States. When Pablo would buy a property, car or other major investment the titles would be listed under someone else’s name (a gardener, neighbor, pet, etc.) then that person would be bribed to keep their mouth shut. Escobar’s properties have a distinctive style with white exteriors (because they were financed with cocaine money) and surrounded by palm trees, reflecting his love of the “Miami style.” Although the buildings are elaborate even by today's standards they remain vacant. Colombian law dictates that if a reposed property (such as one from a drug lord) is rented a portion of the profits have to be invested within the community. Due to the high levels of corruption, officials would rather leave the properties vacant than pay out a portion of the income.
As we drove around Alejandra explained different aspects of Pablo Escobar’s life. He was either loved or hated by the people of Medellin, though most people I spoke to fell into the latter group. However had Pablo not been a gun happy drug lord he has potential to be a pretty cool guy. He had a very ironic sense of humor. For example, he offered to pay Colombian’s $10 billion debt to the United States because he thought it would be funny since the majority of his product was sold to Americans. Essentially the United States was repaying itself.
In addition to Escobar, we learned a lot about the cartel culture in Medellin. For example, after a cartel member died his friends would take him out for one last party. First the corpse would be propped between two people and driven around town on a motorbike. The party then continues to a strip club where the deceased was given alcohol, cocaine and even a lap dance or two. After the festivities the body was delivered to the cemetery to be buried. I get the impression that this ritual was much more popular during the height of the drug scene, however isn’t unheard of today.
The next stop was La Rosa Mistica, popularly believed to be the spot to pray for miracles in Medellin. Plaques and signs are scattered throughout thanking the Mystic Rose for the miracles that have been received. Alejandra explained that during the chaos and danger of with the drug cartels and wars, faith was so important because people needed something to believe in. Religion and faith have an odd, if not contradictory position in the history and culture of the Medellin cartel. Members would pray for protection and safety before going to kill someone. Guns were often ordained with small religious medallions to give guidance and protection.
After the Mystic Rose we continued throughout town visiting other important buildings in Pablo’s life, stopping by the airport to see some abandoned planes previously used for drug smuggling, the house where Pablo was murdered, and finally his grave. Colombian law dictates that all tombstones have to be flush with the ground, however Pablo’s grave is identifiable by the large palm tree shading it.
The tour was definitely one of the highlights of Medellin. It was very informative not only about Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels, but what it was like to live surrounded by violence and uncertainty. After speaking to a few locals in their twenties about their childhood I was very grateful to have grown up in the safety of the United States. The drug wars of the nineties remain fresh in Medellin history and are still a sore topic of conversation for many people. Despite its past, Medellin is a beautiful city and one I highly recommend visiting.
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