The Infamous photo of Pablo Escobar standing in front of the White House with his only son Juan Pablo Escobar went viral soon after first appearing in the HBO documentary “Sins of My Father” in 2010.
The popularity of the photo raised a lot of questions, especially how Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was able to take a picture in front of the White House. People also wondered if the CIA did not know who he was, and if they did, why did they not arrest him?
The notorious drug lord and his son were standing on Pennsylvania Avenue when the photo was taken in front of the White House’s North Portico by his wife, Maria Victoria. Presently, the entire Lafayette Park area is closed.
Pablo Escobar not only had a photograph taken in front of the White House on a public street back in 1981, which could have been done by anyone and still can be done today, but he also took his family on a first-class trip to Disneyland around the same time.
How was Pablo Escobar able to take a picture in front of the White House?
At the time when this picture was taken, Pablo Escobar was attempting to present himself as a lawful politician in Colombia. He initially served on the City Council in Medéllin and later became a substitute Congressman. As a result, this picture proved beneficial to his attempts towards legitimizing himself.
A year later, Escobar won a seat in the 1982 parliamentary election as a member of the New Liberalism movement, an offshoot of the Colombian Liberal Party.
At the time, Pablo Escobar was extremely popular, particularly in Medéllin. He was known for handing out money to the public and investing in public infrastructure.
It is believed that Escobar was able to travel to the United States without much scrutiny as he possessed a diplomatic passport. However, it has not been confirmed. Other theories believe that he was not big enough of a threat at that time to attract attention from the authorities, or that he might have worked with the CIA for some time.
Pablo’s Son, Juan Pablo shared in his book that the Escobar family splurged a huge amount of money during their vacation by filling several suitcases with souvenirs and clothing.
Pablo’s Son, Juan Pablo, shared in his book that the Escobar family spent a huge amount of money during their vacation by filling several suitcases with souvenirs and clothing.
To make the most of their trip, Pablo even hired a personal consultant to recommend attractions and arranged for a driver to escort them around.
Would Pablo Escobar have been on the CIA’s radar in 1981?
Pablo Escobar is one of the most famous mob bosses in world history. He ran the Medellín drug cartel from 1976 until his death in 1993, making approximately $420 million per week at its peak.
He began his career in crime at a young age, selling falsified report cards, diplomas, and smuggling. The phenomenal rise of Escobar began after he focused his attention on cocaine in the 1970s. At the time of his death, Pablo Escobar was one of the richest drug lords in the world, worth USD 30 billion.
We can not be entirely sure if the CIA or other authorities were aware of Pablo Escobar in 1981 unless they decide to make this information public. By the late 1970s, he had gained control of a significant portion of Colombia’s cocaine traffic and played a vital role in setting up the primary smuggling routes toward the US.
He was already one of the wealthiest individuals in Colombia. However, the source of his wealth remained unclear as there was no apparent explanation for it.
His renown as a petty criminal, specifically a smuggler, was well-known to the Medellín authorities since the 1960s or early 1970s when he was arrested with a substantial amount of cocaine in 1976.
Even though the CIA and FBI were mainly focused on the cold war back then. It is hard to believe that they did not know who Pablo Escobar was when he traveled to the United States.