Last Updated:

2024-04-18 04:57:46

Pablo Escobar

Colombian drug lord and politician

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Colombian drug lord and politician

Pablo Escobar, known as 'the king of cocaine', was the founder of the Medellín Cartel. He amassed a net worth of $30 billion and led massive cocaine shipments into the U.S. Escobar's criminal activities included drug smuggling, kidnappings, and bombings. Despite his controversial legacy, he was both feared and admired in Colombia.

Pablo Picasso Hugo Chávez Al Capone Sergio García Tupac Shakur Amancio Ortega Spanish Flu Salvador Dalí Jeffrey Epstein Carlos Slim

1949-12-01

Birth of Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug lord, was born on December 1, 1949.

1970-07-18

Rise of Medellin Cartel

The Medellin Cartel, a powerful drug trafficking organization led by Pablo Escobar, gained prominence in July 18, 1970.

1971-07-24

Pablo Escobar's Image Makeover

In July 24, 1971, Pablo Escobar initiated a strategy to portray himself as a respectable figure in society to safeguard the interests of the Medellin Cartel.

1972-06-14

Murder of Fabio Restrepo

Fabio Restrepo was murdered on June 14, 1972, in an incident linked to Pablo Escobar.

1972-09-19

Murder of Diego Echavarria Misa

Diego Echavarria Misa was murdered on September 19, 1972, in a crime associated with Pablo Escobar.

1973-07

Richard Nixon signed

Then U.S. President Richard Nixon signed

1974

First Arrest of Pablo Escobar

In 1974, Pablo Escobar was arrested for stealing cars, marking his first encounter with the law. This arrest was one of the initial incidents in his criminal career that eventually led to his notorious reputation as a drug lord.

1975-01-01

Fabio Restrepo Murder

Under the orders of Pablo Escobar, former Mendellín group leader Fabio Restrepo was murdered, leading to Escobar taking over the group and expanding its control over the cocaine market.

1976-03-01

Pablo Escobar's Marriage to Maria Victoria

Pablo Escobar married Maria Victoria at the age of 26, when she was 15. The couple had two children, whom Escobar hoped would continue his drug trade legacy.

1978-04

Meeting of Drug Lords on a Farm

In April 1978, Pablo Escobar met several drug lords on a farm, which marked a significant moment in the expansion of the Medellín Cartel. This meeting led to the transportation of a large quantity of cocaine to the United States.

1980

Expulsion from Colombia’s Liberal Party

In the early 1980s, Pablo Escobar was expelled from Colombia’s Liberal Party, which was a significant setback for his political ambitions.

1982-07-05

Pablo Escobar's Entry into Politics

On July 5, 1982, Pablo Escobar made a significant move by entering the political arena.

1983-10-28

End of Political Involvement

Pablo Escobar's political journey came to an end on October 28, 1983.

1984-04-30

Murder of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla

Colombian Minister of Justice, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, was assassinated by Pablo Escobar's hitmen in retaliation for prosecuting cocaine traffickers linked to the Medellin Cartel. This event marked a turning point in the fight against drug trafficking in Colombia.

1984-08-18

Assassination of Luis Carlos Galán

Luis Carlos Galán, who expelled Escobar from the party, was assassinated on August 18, 1984, on Escobar's orders.

1985-04-19

Palace of Justice Siege

In April 1985, it is alleged that Pablo Escobar backed the storming of the Colombian Supreme Court by left-wing guerrillas, resulting in the deaths of several judges. This event was part of Escobar's efforts to prevent the extradition of drug smugglers to the U.S.

1986-12-17

Murder of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla

Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla was assassinated due to the demand placed by Pablo Escobar, marking the start of 'narco-terrorism'.

1988

Escobar's Hacienda Nápoles Hippos

After Pablo Escobar's death, his four hippos at Hacienda Nápoles multiplied to 16 by 2007, causing issues in the area. By 2014, the population had grown to 40, with concerns about their management and impact on the environment.

1989-08-18

Bombing of Avianca Flight 203

Escobar attempted to assassinate César Gaviria Trujillo, Galán's successor, by planting a bomb on Avianca Flight 203 on August 18, 1989, resulting in the death of 107 people.

1989-11-27

Assassination of Luis Carlos Galan

Pablo Escobar played a role in the assassination of Luis Carlos Galan, the 1989 presidential candidate. Galan was fatally shot multiple times while preparing to deliver a speech to a large crowd.

1990

Escobar's Contract Killings

Pablo Escobar ordered contract killings to target police, judges, politicians, and journalists to eliminate threats to his drug empire.

1991-06-19

Construction of La Catedral Prison for Pablo Escobar

In June 1991, under pressure of extradition, Pablo Escobar and his lawyers arranged to build a luxurious prison named 'La Catedral' specifically for Escobar. He surrendered for a five-year jail term to avoid extradition to the United States.

1992-07-22

Escape from La Catedral prison

Escobar, confined in La Catedral prison, escaped on July 22, 1992, after discovering a plan to move him to a conventional jail.

1993-12-02

Death of Pablo Escobar

On December 2, 1993, authorities in Colombia gunned down Pablo Escobar on the rooftop of a house in Medellín. This marked the end of Escobar's reign as the notorious drug lord and criminal mastermind.

1995

Escobar's Family Fleeing Colombia

In 1995, Escobar's widow María Henao, son Juan Pablo, and daughter Manuela fled Colombia after being unable to secure asylum in any country. Despite Escobar's infidelities, Maria remained loyal to him, which ultimately saved her and her children from being killed by the Cali Cartel.

1999

US Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act

The US Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act was enacted in 1999 to identify and impose sanctions on foreign narcotics traffickers whose activities pose a threat to US security, foreign policy, or economy.

2001

Death of Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993 as part of the efforts to dismantle his cartel by US special forces, intelligence agencies, the Colombian military, and Los Pepes. Mark Bowden's book 'Killing Pablo' details the hunt for Escobar.

2005

Mugshots episode on Escobar

In 2005, Court TV released an episode on Escobar titled 'Pablo Escobar – Hunting The Druglord'.

2006-07-04

Virginia Vallejo's testimony

Virginia Vallejo, romantically involved with Escobar, offered testimony in a trial against former Senator Alberto Santofimio, accused of conspiracy in the assassination of Luis Carlos Galán.

2006-10-28

Exhumation of Pablo Escobar's Body

Pablo Escobar's body was exhumed in 2006 to confirm paternity of an alleged illegitimate child and remove doubts about his identity. The exhumation was broadcast on TV, causing controversy.

2007

Virginia Vallejo's Memoir and Relationship with Escobar

Journalist Virginia Vallejo published a memoir in 2007 detailing her romantic involvement with Pablo Escobar and his connections to various influential figures. Her story later inspired the movie 'Loving Pablo'.

2008

El cartel TV Series

A TV series by Caracol TV that began airing on 4 June 2008, portraying Escobar being shot down by Cartel del Sur's hitmen.

2009

Sins of My Father Documentary

Argentinian filmmaker Nicolas Entel's documentary 'Sins of My Father' chronicles Sebastián Marroquín's efforts to seek forgiveness on behalf of his father, Pablo Escobar, from the sons of Rodrigo Lara and Luis Carlos Galán, who were assassinated.

2010

Publication of 'Escobar' by Roberto Escobar

Roberto Escobar's book 'Escobar' published in 2010 provides insights into Pablo Escobar's rise to infamy and eventual demise.

2011

Killing Pablo

A film supposedly in development directed by Joe Carnahan, based on Mark Bowden's book. The cast was reported to include Christian Bale and Édgar Ramírez.

2012

Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal TV Series

A TV series by Caracol TV that began airing on 28 May 2012, starring Andrés Parra as Pablo Escobar, based on Alonso Salazar's book.

2013-03-04

Tres Caínes TV Series Released

RTI Producciones produced the TV Series Tres Caínes for RCN Televisión, where Escobar is portrayed by Colombian actor Juan Pablo Franco.

2013-11-05

Alias El Mexicano TV Series Released

Fox Telecolombia produced the TV Series Alias El Mexicano for RCN Televisión, with an unknown actor portraying Escobar in a minor role.

2014

Conversion of Hacienda Nápoles

After Pablo Escobar's death, Hacienda Nápoles was converted into a theme park surrounded by luxury hotels under a law called Extinción de Dominio (Domain Extinction).

2015-08-28

Narcos TV Series Released

Netflix released the TV Series Narcos depicting the story of Escobar, starring Brazilian actor Wagner Moura as Pablo.

2016-08-16

En la boca del lobo TV Series Released

Teleset and Sony Pictures Television produced the TV Series En la boca del lobo for RCN Televisión, with Fabio Restrepo portraying Escobar.

2017

Loving Pablo

A 2017 Spanish film based on Virginia Vallejo's book, with Javier Bardem as Escobar and Penélope Cruz as Virginia Vallejo.

2018-01-24

Countdown to Death: Pablo Escobar Documentary Released

Netflix released the documentary Countdown to Death: Pablo Escobar, directed by Santiago Diaz and Pablo Martin Farina.

2018-06-05

Accusation of Money Laundering

María Victoria Henao de Escobar and her son, Sebastián Marroquín Santos, were accused of money laundering with two Colombian drug traffickers in Argentina. Assets worth about $1 million each were seized.

2018-11-30

Evolución del crimen en Colombia a 25 años de la muerte de Pablo Escobar

An event discussing the evolution of crime in Colombia 25 years after the death of Pablo Escobar.

2019-02-22

Edificio Mónaco Apartment Demolition

The six-story Edificio Mónaco apartment complex in Medellín, associated with Pablo Escobar's criminal activities, was demolished in 2019. The demolition aimed to honor the victims of cartel violence and signify the city's progress beyond its dark past.

2019-05-24

El General Naranjo TV Series Released

Fox Telecolombia produced the TV Series El General Naranjo, where Escobar is portrayed by Colombian actor Federico Rivera.

2021

Killing Escobar Documentary Televised

A documentary titled Killing Escobar was televised in the UK in 2021, focusing on a failed attempt to assassinate Escobar in 1989.

2022

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

A 2022 American biopic parody loosely based on 'Weird Al' Yankovic's life, where Escobar is depicted as a fan who kidnaps Weird Al's girlfriend.

2023-02-28

Pablo Escobar y la verdadera historia criminal del oso cocainómano

A content related to the true criminal story of the cocaine-addicted bear and its connection to Pablo Escobar.