Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord

HE WHO DOESN'T KNOW HISTORY IS DOOMED TO REPEAT IT

PABLO ESCOBAR THE LORD OF EVIL

- We're still awaiting Minister Lara. - He's coming.

Here he comes.

Mr. Minister, how are you going to defend yourself?

I won't argue my defense before media microphones, excuse me.

Minister, is it true that you're friends with drug traffickers?

Miss, please...

To this very media, I've stated many times

that drug trafficking is infiltrating politics.

Do you really think it's possible that I'm a corrupt politician?

I'm only asking a question.

And I'm answering it with another.

You can't question my honesty like that,

because I've made the same stand for years. A stand against

drug trafficking.

This is something that all of you,

as well as Mr. Javier Ortiz

and his boss, Mr. Santorini, should be aware of.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Mr. Galán, will you call the Ethics Committee?

Yes, we'll meet and you can be sure that we'll do the right thing.

The New Liberalism, with Mr. Lara included,

is the only movement that has reported the infiltration

of dirty money in national public institutions... Excuse me...

-Excuse me. -Mr. Galán.

Sweetheart, you can't imagine how I've prayed...

How are you?

Bad... I can't understand how they could have set me up this way...

Where did they get the story of that check from?

I have no idea. They invented it, I don't know.

The only thing I'm certain of is that

I never received any money from that guy, Crisanto Pérez...

- But do you know him, dear? - No, Freckles, I don't...

Listen, stay away from this, will you? Don't worry.

This is simply an attack from my opponents...

But what opponents? As far as I know,

you don't know that man Ortiz, and hardly talk to Senator Santorini...

Freckles, this has something to do with Pablo Escobar...

-Who? -Don't worry.

I'll handle this...relax, okay?

Of course I worry, Rodrigo.

I'm your wife. Why won't you talk to me?

Did you discuss it with Luis Carlos?

Am I interrupting?

I'm here because I want to know your version

of what happened with that check, with that recording.

I don't know.

I suppose this is a plot against me

carried out by Ortiz and Santorini and orchestrated by Escobar...

Pablo Escobar?

Rodrigo, this is a check

which I'm assuming isn't bad

and a recorded conversation with a drug trafficker.

-This is quite serious! -Very serious if it were true,

but it isn't. I never received a check from that crook.

You know what my struggle has been in the New Liberalism, don't you?

Of course I do. And that's why I'm so puzzled by what happened there.

So I came here to ask you to explain to me where that check came from...

You must understand, we can't start questioning ourselves now...

Yes, I understand perfectly. But I don't know...

You can be sure I'm going to find out... I won't sit back and do nothing...

Was the evidence presented by Ortiz and the conversation with Crisanto Pérez true?

Did that really happen or not?

As you know, I'm running for Congress...

Of course, Mr. Lara, and a region like this will be honored

to have an intelligent person like you representing us in the capital...

Thank you very much. Let's hope everything comes out well.

They told me you are a very influential businessman in Caquetá...

Of course, sir. I have many plantations.

Many plantations? What type of plantations, if I may ask?

All types, sir. Agriculture has treated me well.

Very good.

It was a real pleasure meeting you.

Mr. Lara, please sit down.

I haven't told you why I asked to meet with you.

I understand you wanted to meet me.

- It was a pleasure. - Oh yes. A pleasure for me too.

But I wanted to offer a contribution to your campaign.

I really appreciate your offer, but it's not necessary right now... Thank you.

Don't tell me now that you don't need money.

I don't believe that's true in a country like this...

I hope you make it to the Congress of the Republic...

Listen, why don't you tell me more about you?

Well, sir...

I move a lot around the Amazon and Caquetá region...

As a politician...

As a politician and whatever else is needed, sir.

I'm like you. If people need help, there you are.

That's why I want you to accept my contribution.

And that was it.

I thanked him, I said no, and that was the end of it.

So you never received any money from him...

No, not a cent.

I didn't receive any money from him,

and not because he was a crook, I didn't know that. Nobody did...

He just gave me a bad vibe. But I'm going to investigate.

I'm going to check the campaign accounts. But,

I'm sure I've never taken money from a criminal... him or anyone else.

You have to do it fast. Those people are trying to discredit not only you,

but the party as well.

I won't be at ease until I make it clear to everyone

that I don't take money from drug traffickers and criminals.

I don't doubt it and I agree with you.

Luis Carlos,

do you have any doubts about my innocence?

Rodrigo, I'm not going to deny I had it very hard in there...

but what matters now is to show the public the truth.

That's all that matters...

You can submit that check to whatever test you want, miss.

My friend,

I had to do a thorough investigation, believe me.

Don't forget, I'm accusing a Minister of Justice.

-And can you tell me where you got it? -I can tell you it's authentic.

But did someone give it to you? Did someone send it to you?

Maybe a drug trafficker, such as Crisanto López?

Evidence is evidence, Niky.

I can call you Niky, right?

Yes, Senator.

We didn't get it illegally. I can assure you that...

but we have to guarantee the safety of our contributors...

Contributors...

Couldn't it be that the check was sent to you by the second person on your list,

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, accused of trafficking by everyone in Medellín?

If anyone...

has evidence against Mr. Escobar, he or she should present it.

Do you as a journalist have any evidence?

I suppose your director, Mr. Guillermo Cano,

has taught you that you can't accuse

people based simply on rumors, right?

Does that mean Pablo Escobar had nothing to do

with the supposed financing with illicit money

of Minister Lara's campaign?

Nothing at all.

As I understand it, the two of you would take a bullet

for Escobar. You think he's a model citizen.

As well as every member of our Alternative Liberal movement.

Something different from Minister Lara and Luis Carlos Galán,

who rise and uphold the flags of justice

to hide the rotten nature of their party.

Anything else, Niky?

Thank you very much, miss.

What is it?

I have to admit that Crisantos's check

received by the Minister left me speechless...

There you go with your famous character-assassination.

Maybe now you'll realize that politicians may be boring but they came out

-more astute than the bad guys. -Yeah, They're such...

Gonzalo, how are the numbers looking?

Oh, good. They couldn't be better.

-Yeah? -Of course, all running smoothly.

And Graciela accepts everything I send her.

You know how much money is coming in?

That's what you're here for. My financial expert.

Hey Pablo, what happened with your high-class mature girlfriend?

A very interesting woman. Very intellectual, very pretty.

We're very happy together.

Oh yeah? And Patty?

What do you mean?

-So she's worthless now... -Show some respect, brother!

-I'm not being disrespectful... -Patty is Patty. She's my wife,

the only one authorized to give birth to my children.

Besides, she's going to inherit all this wealth. So, don't get confused.

Sorry! I spoke out of turn.

How are you, dear?

I'm okay.

What do you mean, okay?

You don't look okay.

I know you... Don't forget, I'm your wife.

I've been thinking and I don't understand how I ended up involved in this mess...

You know perfectly well.

Everything started when you and Luis Carlos threw Escobar out of the party.

Yes, and that criminal was elected on Santorini's ballot...

As soon as you were nominated you attacked. Did you think he'd do nothing?

I don't know if it's Escobar who's behind all this. But whoever it is,

he wants to destroy me, make me resign from the Ministry

and at the same time harm the New Liberalism's reputation!

What are you thinking?

-Are you going to resign? -No.

No way.

If it's Escobar and he wants a fight, we'll fight!

Are you going out?

Yes, Freckles, I have to talk to Colonel Jiménez. I can't do it from here.

At this hour?

Listen honey, I won't take long. I can't stay here

crying in the corner. I have to do something.

Take care, dear...

I can't believe it!

I can't either, Senator. But that's the news of the day,

-and we can't hide it... -And it has to hit now,

just as Rodrigo's career is soaring...

He needs to give an explaination for that check.

I agree with you, that's exactly what I told him after the debate.

The Minister is an honest, respectful man.

I know him.

But that's the price he has to pay for having openly accused drug traffickers

and their allied politicians. I believe in him,

as does El Espectador , and we're going to back the Senator.

We can't leave him alone at such a critical moment.

You should leave now because I know you're going to be very busy tonight.