Gablo Escobar: The Legacy Of Pablo Ecobar

The Legacy of Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar is remembered around the world as a criminal, a drug lord, and a gang leader. Escobar is believed to be responsible for the deaths of over 4,000 police officers, soldiers, lawyers, and politicians. Still to this day, almost every person in Colombia knows someone whose life has been affected by the actions of Pablo Escobar. He is recognized not only for his notorious crimes, but also for his generous support to the poor and his donations to many underprivileged communities. Despite his death over twenty years ago in 1993, the actions and decisions Escobar made while he was alive still have major influences on the world today. Among the poor of Colombia, Escobar was thought of as a modern day Robin Hood.

After growing up in a poverty stricken family, Escobar always had a soft spot in his heart for those who had little. While suffering from severe poverty, Escobar and his brother Roberto notoriously were once sent home from school as they were unable to afford shoes. His criminal career began after being forced to leave a local university as he was unable to pay the tuition required. He and his brother allegedly got into crime by stealing gravestones and sanding them down for resale. They soon became involved in street scams and other crimes, including selling contraband cigarettes, selling fake lottery tickets, and stealing cars. According to his cousin, Jaime Gaviria, Escobar once said “If no rich person in Colombia does anything for the poor. How can we fix inequality in our country? Steal from the rich.” (Valbuena, 2011, p.2) It seems that he took this declaration to heart, as evidenced by his charitable attitude. During

It is true that he used his money to help the poor of his country, but he never forgot to take care of himself. He had multi-million dollar mansions built, where Escobar and members of his cartel went to relax and make business deals. These included the Hacienda Nápoles, and multiple houses on the Islas Del Rosario, islands dotting the coastline of Colombia. After the fall of the cartels in the 90s, the Colombian government had mostly let the once impressive buildings crumble into the ground. Today, these show places have become part of a very lucrative plan to bring tourism to Colombia. The home of Escobar in particular has become a very popular tourist destination. Visitors there can explore the luxurious mansion, which had its own nightclub, a mosaic-lined pool, three movie theaters, and a beautiful view of the Cartagena coastline. James Nye of the Daily Mail said, “the irony is that now you can hire a kayak to paddle around waters that 20 years ago would have cost you your life just for being near.” (Sanchez, 2008, p.38) The breathtaking homes that Escobar had built to reward himself for his success now serve as tourist destinations to remember the fascination of Escobar’s legacy in