Pablo Escobar and the Creation of “Narco-Football” (part 4)

Escobar laundered millions though football starting competition between Drug Lords

U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s “war on crime” campaign called for the extradition of Pablo Escobar. In order to avoid extradition, Escobar ran for the House of Representatives. Standing by the poor and underprivileged, Escobar was able to get elected into the congress making Columbian gambling news. Unfortunately he was removed from the house on charges of drug trafficking. In retaliation, Escobar killed every politician that spoke out against him.

• Columbian goalkeeper Higuita went to jail for visiting Escobar while in prison
• U.S. President George Bush offered American troops to help hunt down Escobar
• With Escobar dead, Columbia was in chaos by those empowered to kill him

The president of Columbia vowed to use all his means to apprehend him. Escobar wasn’t going down without a fight and fighting was a natural occurrence on the street. After a law was passed that ended extradition of drug lords, Escobar turned himself in. After hundreds of police were killed and thousands injured, Escobar would be sent to a special prison away from everyone. There he and his men demanded that the government supplied them with a football pitch.

A visit by a Columbian footballer causes an outrage

The million dollar promotion of the Columbia’s National Team was in full affect. Columbians felt pride for their football team as they won qualifier after qualifier. After the brilliant match with Argentina, Columbia set their sights on the World Cup. Touring the continent, Columbia started to change the country’s image. That change was put into jeopardy when goal keeper Rene Higuita visited Escobar in his prison called “the cathedral.”

Higuita made the mistake of speaking to reporters who witnessed him visiting the prison. By admitting his friendship and loyalty to Escobar, he put the Columbian National Team in “negative light” and put his career at risk. The football team was the banner or the image that the world saw and Columbia’s intelligence agents had to make sure anything or anyone who hurt the team’s image would be removed. A scandal soon followed and Higuita was sent to prison on “trumped up” charges of mediating in a kidnap negotiation.

Rene Higuita, “the Scorpion” was no stranger to controversy and showing off himself. He is said to have practiced this trick while in prison for being accomplice to a kidnap

Most knew that that Higuita was most likely being charged for visiting Escobar. In Higuita’s defense, he spoke of Escobar’s philanthropy. “He built homes and gave us football fields. But he’s also responsible for bombs and an awful war. By handing himself in, Pablo helped everyone. I had an opportunity to thank him personally. I saw it as my moral obligation. I didn’t think I was breaking the law.”

Unknown to gambling news, was that the entire National team had already visited Escobar and played a football match at the football pitch at the prison. Escobar sent for them before the start of the World Cup and the team went without choice. After the visit, it became realized that Escobar was in control of the prison and his incarceration was a façade. By the time government agents went to the prison to remove and relocate Escobar, he had already disappeared.

Assistance is offered from the U.S. and Israel in the hunt for Escobar

U.S. President George Bush offered American troops to help hunt down the drug cartels saying the drug lords would receive the death penalties. The U.S., Israelis and Columbian Intelligence joined forces in the search for Escobar. Carlos Castano, past associate and member of Escobar’s Cartel, became an outspoken figure against the world’s most wanted drug lord. Castano, who used to be Escobar’s best friend, knew the working of his inner circle.

Joining the Cali Cartel, he formed a group called the PEPEs, People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar. With the backing of police, special forces, and the U.S. Government, Castano became the best possibility of bringing down the drug lord. Soon many assassinations and bombings by the PEPEs followed. Door to door the PEPE’s went and made people choose between them or death. In time, everyone worked for the PEPE’s.

An ultimatum was given to Escobar to surrender by the last day of that year, or the next day the PEPE’s would start killing his family members. The deadline passed and the bloodshed began as family members of Escobar started to get killed. Escobar was only able to get one letter to family that was filled with words of remorse, regret and fear. On December 2, 1993, Escobar was shot and killed in a gunfight.

Escobar’s death, which made US gambling news, received mixed feelings. The news of Escobar’s death made the wealthy celebrate and the poor and imprisoned cry. Escobar’s funeral was attended by poor people who were saddened at the loss of the man who build their homes and cared about them. Unfortunately, the PEPEs didn’t stop their campaign. With the man who kept complete order in the streets died, chaos ensued all over. Kidnappings, bombings and anarchy made the streets of Medellin a living hell.