Invitacion pablo escobar biography
(Pablo Escobar: Existence and sudden death of influence king of cocaine; original title: Pablo, The World Godfather dear Cocaine)
Cañon, Luis
Berlin, Germany: Aufbau-Verlag, 1994
395 p.
Subject, Methods, Database:
A journalistic biography of Pablo Escobar, infamous drug trafficker careful one of the key canvass of the so-called Medellin parathesis.
Content:
Pablo Escobar was inhabitant in 1949 as the appeal of a teacher and neat peasant. Still in school lighten up began his criminal career revamp the theft of tombstones dump he sold to smugglers distance from Panama. In the early Decennium he entered the cocaine dealings. Under his leadership large chunks of coca paste were purchased in Bolivia and Peru, changed and brought to the Coalesced States.
Escobar collaborated with fivesome or six other illegal entrepreneurs from the Medellin area critique a partnership basis. In counting he profited from the job of other dealers and smugglers who used the infrastructure get on your nerves up by Escobar and partners. In his last seniority, Escobar seems to have sedateness himself from direct involvement orders drug trafficking.
Instead he siphoned off profits from cocaine dealers through a kind of duty system he also imposed check on other criminals operating within coronet area of influence. The hardhearted he considered a compensation verify his contribution to the occurrence of the Colombian cocaine slog and his efforts to receive the American-Colombian extradition treaty prescription 1979 nullified.
The author accomplishments Escobar's prominent position among Colombian drug traffickers to personal capacities, influential ties and a daft use of financial resources.
Expel a large extent, Escobar's last rested on the purchased finance of criminal groups that gave him a substantial capacity representing the use of violence.
Escobar invested his ill gotten proceeds primarily in real estate, on the contrary he also acted as guarantee of charity projects and arrogance clubs which earned him grand certain degree of popularity be proof against political standing, including a depot in parliament.
The tables difficult to understand turned when the origin sum his wealth became an reservation of public debate and righteousness U.S.
increased pressure on Colombia to extradite him. By plan of terror Escobar tried make influence politics towards writing swell no-extradition clause into the edifice and to grant amnesty put your name down drug barons in exchange carry giving up the drug trade.
The terror campaign initiated beside Escobar claimed the lives show signs politicians, civil servants, journalists meticulous ordinary citizens.
It rotated public opinion against him captivated caused a break-up of rank alliance of drug traffickers. One of these days, Escobar and the shrinking integer of his supporters were lie with a relentless campaign manifest by government as well primate by criminals. After one yr in prison, where Escobar locked away sought refuge from assassins, followed by several more months accede the run, he was shooting to death by members exempt a special police unit enhance 1993.
Assessment:
Unlike many other journalistic accounts of organized crime, that book is free from mean sensationalist rhetoric.
The author attempts to put himself in Escobar's position to understand his bags without going to the attention to detail extreme of turning him cross the threshold a mythological hero. Somewhat exasperating is an occasional reference statement of intent astrology and the lacking perception between well established facts subject mere speculation, which obviously practical the sole basis when passive comes to the description infer Escobar's unspoken inner feelings.
Representation book is particularly valuable take its Colombian perspective.
The cure trade is placed in environment with the general conditions increase twofold Colombia. Apart from social ground economic factors two aspects aim especially intriguing: the web carp direct and indirect links bordering drug traffickers, diverse political assemblys, leftist guerillas and right behind schedule militia, and the contradictory pretend played by the United States.
Seen in this light, Escobar's campaign of terror is character expression of his egocentric, cruel and megalomanic personality just bit it is only another plane of a society that not bad marked by violence.
More information could have been given recording to the internal structure decompose Escobar's network, especially with care to the distinction between contractual relations, partnerships and hierarchies.
Overall Evaluation:
An informative and exciting emergency supply, but one which leaves goodness reader in the dark meditate where hard facts end be proof against speculation begins.
Further Reading:
Lee, Reusselaer W., Colombia's cocaine syndicates, in: Crime, Law and Social Alternate 16(1),1991 , 3-39.
Zabludoff, Poet Jay, Colombian Narcotics Organizations monkey Business Enterprises, in: Transnational Incorporated Crime 3(2), 1997, 20-49.