History of Pablo Escobar in Timeline

Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord and the leader of the Medellín Cartel, known as the "King of Cocaine." He amassed immense wealth, estimated at $30 billion, by monopolizing the cocaine trade to the US in the 1980s and early 1990s. His actions involved narcoterrorism and significantly impacted Colombia's social and political landscape during that period. Escobar's influence and wealth made him one of history's wealthiest and most notorious criminals.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1948: Construction of Miami Beach mansion

In 1948, the four-bedroom estate, built on Biscayne Bay at 5860 North Bay Road in Miami Beach, Florida, was constructed.

December 1949: Pablo Escobar's Birth

In December 1949, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was born. He later became a notorious Colombian drug lord and the leader of the Medellín Cartel.

Others born on this day/year

1966: Escobar Leaves High School

In 1966, Pablo Escobar left high school just before his 17th birthday before returning two years later with his cousin Gustavo Gaviria

1971: Kidnapping of Diego Echavarria

In the summer of 1971, Pablo Escobar's gang kidnapped businessman Diego Echavarria, who was eventually killed, and Escobar received a $50,000 ransom from the Echavarria family.

March 1976: Escobar marries María Victoria Henao

In March 1976, the 26-year-old Escobar married María Victoria Henao, who was 15. The relationship was discouraged by the Henao family.

May 1976: Escobar's Arrest and Release

In May 1976, Pablo Escobar was arrested by the Colombian Security Service (DAS) for drug trafficking in Ecuador. He was found with 39 kg of cocaine, but managed to bribe a judge for his release.

1976: Foundation of the Medellín Cartel

In 1976, Pablo Escobar founded the Medellín Cartel, which distributed powder cocaine. They established the first smuggling routes from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, through Colombia and into the US.

1976: Investigation of Escobar by Lara-Bonilla

In 1976, Pablo Escobar's arrest was investigated by Rodrigo Lara-Bonilla's subordinates, who later became Escobar's opponent in Congress.

April 1978: Meeting of Drug Lords

In April 1978, Pablo Escobar met with several drug lords on a farm, leading to the expansion of the Medellín Cartel.

1978: Establishment of Norman's Cay Smuggling Route

From 1978, Pablo Escobar and Carlos Lehder developed a trans-shipment point in the Bahamas on Norman's Cay, which was used as a central smuggling route for the Medellín Cartel.

1982: Entry into Colombian Congress

In 1982, Pablo Escobar successfully entered the Colombian Congress and was granted parliamentary immunity and the right to a diplomatic passport.

1982: Election to the Chamber of Representatives

In 1982, Pablo Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives as part of the Liberal Party in Colombia.

1982: Purchase of Hacienda Nápoles

In 1982, with the profits from the Norman's Cay route, Pablo Escobar purchased 20 square kilometers of land in Antioquia to build the Hacienda Nápoles.

January 1984: Escobar's Retirement from Politics

In January 1984, Pablo Escobar announced his retirement from politics after being expelled from the Liberal Party.

November 1985: Los Extraditable Organization

In November 1985, Pablo Escobar requested the Colombian government to allow his conditional surrender without extradition to the United States. The proposal was initially rejected, and Escobar subsequently founded and implicitly supported the Los Extraditable Organization, which aims to fight extradition policy

1985: Escobar's role in the Palace of Justice siege

In 1985, according to Virginia Vallejo, Escobar financed the Palace of Justice siege which was committed by M-19; she blamed the army for the killings of more than 100 people.

1986: Supreme Court Declares Extradition Treaty Illegal

In late 1986, Colombia's Supreme Court declared the previous extradition treaty illegal due to being signed by a presidential delegation, not the president.

August 1989: Assassination of Luis Carlos Galán and Bombing of Avianca Flight 203

In August 1989, Pablo Escobar ordered the assassination of Luis Carlos Galán and planted a bomb on Avianca Flight 203 in an attempt to assassinate César Gaviria Trujillo, resulting in the deaths of 107 people.

1991: Escobar's Surrender

In 1991, Pablo Escobar surrendered to Colombian authorities after negotiations with the government, in exchange for a reduced sentence and preferential treatment, and the newly approved Colombian Constitution of 1991 prohibited extradition of Colombian citizens to the United States.

1991: Escobar's Surrender and Imprisonment

In 1991, Pablo Escobar surrendered to authorities and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, but struck a deal of no extradition with Colombian President César Gaviria and being housed in his own prison.

July 1992: Escobar's Escape from La Catedral

On 22 July 1992, Pablo Escobar escaped from his luxurious private prison, La Catedral, after the government attempted to move him to a more conventional jail, leading him to evade the police for the remainder of his life.

1992: Escobar's Escape from La Catedral

In 1992, Pablo Escobar escaped and went into hiding when authorities attempted to move him to a more standard holding facility, leading to a nationwide manhunt.

December 1993: Pablo Escobar's Death

In December 1993, Pablo Escobar died. He was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel.

December 1993: Death of Pablo Escobar

On 2 December 1993, Pablo Escobar was found and killed in Medellín by Colombian special forces, who were using technology provided by the United States, after a shootout while trying to escape from the roof of a house.

1993: Escobar's Death in Medellín

In 1993, Pablo Escobar was killed in his hometown by the Colombian National Police, a day after his 44th birthday, leading to the crumbling of the Medellín Cartel.

1995: Escobar's family flees Colombia

In 1995, Escobar's widow (María Henao), son (Juan Pablo) and daughter (Manuela) fled Colombia after failing to find a country that would grant them asylum.

July 2006: Virginia Vallejo offers testimony in trial against Alberto Santofimio

In July 2006, Virginia Vallejo, who had a romantic relationship with Escobar from 1983 to 1987, offered her testimony to Attorney General Mario Iguarán in the trial against former Senator Alberto Santofimio, who was accused of conspiracy in the 1989 assassination of Luis Carlos Galán. Iguarán acknowledged the contact from Vallejo in July 2006.

July 2006: Vallejo taken to the United States for safety reasons

On July 18, 2006, Virginia Vallejo was taken to the United States on a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) flight for "safety and security reasons" because of her cooperation in high-profile criminal cases.

October 2006: Escobar's body exhumed for DNA sample

On October 28, 2006, Escobar's body was exhumed at the request of some of his relatives in order to take a DNA sample to confirm the alleged paternity of an illegitimate child and remove all doubt about the identity of the body.

2007: Escobar's hippos multiply

By 2007, the hippos at Hacienda Nápoles had multiplied to 16 and had taken to roaming the area for food in the nearby Magdalena River.

2007: Virginia Vallejo publishes her memoir

In 2007, the journalist Virginia Vallejo published her memoir Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar (Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar), in which she describes her romantic relationship with Escobar and the links of her lover with several presidents, Caribbean dictators, and high-profile politicians.

Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar / Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar (MTI) (Spanish Edition)

Check it on Amazon

2007: Announcement of two major feature films on Escobar

In 2007, two major feature films on Escobar, Escobar (2009) and Killing Pablo (2011), were announced.

2008: Reopening of the Palace of Justice siege case

In 2008, Virginia Vallejo's statements prompted the reopening of the case regarding the 1985 Palace of Justice siege. Vallejo was asked to testify, and many of the events she described in her book and testimonial were confirmed by Colombia's Commission of Truth.

Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar / Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar (MTI) (Spanish Edition)

Check it on Amazon

2009: Release of "Sins of My Father" documentary

In 2009, Argentinian filmmaker Nicolas Entel's documentary Sins of My Father chronicles Marroquín's efforts to seek forgiveness from the sons of Rodrigo Lara and Luis Carlos Galán.

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2009: Escobar's hippos escape and attack

In 2009, two adults and one calf hippopotamus escaped the herd and, after attacking humans and killing cattle, one of the adults (called "Pepe") was killed by hunters.

October 2010: "Sins of My Father" premieres in the U.S. on HBO

In October 2010, the film Sins of My Father premiered in the U.S. on HBO.

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August 2011: Santofimio sentenced to prison for Galán's assassination

In August 2011 Santofimio was sentenced to 24 years in prison for his role in Luis Carlos Galán's assassination.

2014: Report of 40 hippos in Puerto Triunfo

As of early 2014, 40 hippos were reported to exist in Puerto Triunfo, Antioquia Department, from the original four belonging to Escobar.

2014: Chicken Kitchen proprietor buys Escobar's Miami mansion

In 2014, Christian de Berdouare, proprietor of the Chicken Kitchen fast-food chain, bought Escobar's dilapidated Miami Beach mansion.

2014: Roberto Escobar founds Escobar Inc

In 2014, Roberto Escobar founded Escobar Inc with Olof K. Gustafsson and registered Successor-In-Interest rights for his brother Pablo Escobar in California, United States.

2014: Marroquín publishes Pablo Escobar, My Father

In 2014, Sebastián Marroquín published Pablo Escobar, My Father under his birth name to resolve inaccuracies regarding his father's excursions during the 1990s. The book provides a firsthand insight into details of his father's life and describes the fundamentally disintegrating effect of his death upon the family.

2016: Potential doubling of hippo population

As of 2016, without management, the population size of Escobar's hippos is likely to more than double in the next decade.

2017: "Loving Pablo" movie released

In 2017, the movie Loving Pablo was released, which was inspired by Virginia Vallejo's book.

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June 2018: María Henao accused of money laundering

On June 5, 2018, the Argentine federal judge Nestor Barral accused María Henao and her son, Sebastián Marroquín, of money laundering with two Colombian drug traffickers. The judge ordered the seizing of assets for about $1m each.

2018: Environmentalists disagree on hippo impact

In 2018, National Geographic published an article on the hippos which found disagreement among environmentalists on whether they were having a positive or negative impact but that conservationists and locals were mostly in support of their continued presence.

February 2019: Demolition of Edificio Mónaco

On February 22, 2019, Medellín authorities demolished the six-story Edificio Mónaco apartment complex, where Escobar planned attacks. A park honoring cartel victims was planned in its place.