We spent time this afternoon with an acquaintance who grew up in Medellin during Escobar's era. Her descriptions are truly bone-chilling. Both her parents were professionals, one of whom had a skill that Escobar badly wanted from time to time. So, her parent was periodically kidnapped by Escobar's henchman, hooded, shoved into a car, and taken to one of Escobar's homes in Medellin to advise the drug lord. He had no choice. He had no protection. He had no warning of when these attacks might happen. His family never knew if he would come home or be murdered. If he displeased Escobar during one of these kidnappings, he would have disappeared, probably tortured and murdered. Amazingly, he returned safely after each harrowing adventure, so he must have pleased Escobar, despite wanting no part of the criminal.
I asked our acquaintance why they didn't leave. She said they had their family and lives here in Medellin. Where would they have gone? What would they have done to survive? Medellin did lose 10% of its population during Escobar's control. Many were murdered, many disappeared, many simply left. One of her family's friends was murdered. They became close to his widow, which earned them countless death threats. After each death threat, they had to leave Medellin for a period of time, returning only with bodyguards round the clock. All this during the time she was in elementary and high school.
Finally, she said, the people of Medellin had had enough. Escobar's death gave them an opportunity to take baek control of their city. Though things are still far from truly safe and secure, the city day and night is very busy. In general, people feel safe. But, they still don't trust anyone because of the legacy of the days of Escobar, when you could trust no one, when anyone could be on the payroll of the drug cartel, when your life was ever in danger.
We are so lucky.
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