Homo Viator

Let’s put one thing straight from the beginning: What I do not seek to do here is to glorify this criminal. I would rather like to try to explain and uncover the myth that still surrounds the richest and most notorious Mafiosi of all times. Why does even today almost everyone that I have a conversation about Colombia with, sooner or later want to talk about el patron? Why do many Colombians, especially in the Medellín area still admire the man that has caused widespread violence and death? Why was I so intrigued by this character that I made my way to his grave in Medellín?
I guess that of these questions the simplest one to answer relates to the love by many of his fellow paisas (people from the Medellín area). Pablo Escobar had helped thousands of them escape poverty. Not only by giving them the chance and protection to participate in the highly lucrative drug trade, but also by sharing part of his wealth with them directly. Sharing is caring, remember? He built large housing projects, football fields and social institutions for the underprivileged.
Of course internationally he is better remembered for terrorizing his people and being partly responsible for the country’s blood tainted image. Many bombs targeting civilians, including the bombing of a passenger airline, carry his signature. At one point he had put a 100$ bounty on policemen that left hundreds of policemen dead.

Pablo Escobar´s grave in Medellín:

So why then did I go to visit his grave? Maybe to find out if he really was dead. No, I did not dig him out. But my taxi driver to the cemetery told me what many Colombians believe: that the CIA/Colombian special unit had shot a double. I believe that I just went in order to be able to say that I have stood close to the most notorious and ruthless criminal of all times. A man that Forbes had listed as the seventh richest man in the world. His cartel made up to 30billion dollars annually. His power trip went so far that he even offered the Colombian government to pay for Colombia’s total national debt in return for a non-extradition treaty. Furthermore, he must have been the only criminal who has ever built his own prison, the infamous La Catedral.
The following video gives you an idea of how this man lived. Since he had never been too secretive about his business and lifestyle, he had invited journalists to his finca in order to portray him and his family.

Arrived to Medellín today and fell in love with the place from the start. The city is surrounded by beautiful rugged peaks and offers spectacular views. The city is so green and with such gorgeous flora that you feel like it has been built into lush jungle. Of course we all know that the city has had quite a turbulent history and during the1980s and 1990s experienced immense crime levels, fuelled by armed conflicts and the presence of the world’s biggest drug cartel, which was led by the infamous Pablo Escobar. However, the city cleaned up its act and is now considered to be one of the safest big cities in Latin America. The Lonely Planet writes the following: “Forget everything you’ve read about Medellín – it’s probably old news by now. Yes, the city was the headquarters and principal killing grounds for Colombia’s drug cartels. But the world press forgot to report Medellín´s remarkable turnaround....Due to decades of past insecurity people have an obvious passion for life in the present and a sense of how to enjoy themselves in the here-and-now.”
Plastic surgery carries no stigma in Medellín and it has reportedly the world’s highest fake boobs per square meter ratio. People say that these are a lingering reminder of the profound influence drug lords long exerted on Medellín´s culture and aesthetic. Medellín is situated in the department of Antioquia and natives from that region call themselves Paisas. They praise themselves to be greatly different from other Colombians and love their region more than their country. Founded by small farmers rather than slave-owning plantation owners, Antioquia is renowned for its hard-working, entrepreneurial spirit. They are characterized by incredible hospitality, which is said to consist of three-parts warmth and one-part old-fashioned formality. The surrounding area is called the Zona Cafetera, the heartland for Colombian coffee growing, an area scattered with beautiful fincas and colonial towns. Viva Colombia! Below a promotional video on Medellín which will give you some idea of how the city looks like. Photos will follow.

This the official tourism campaign of Colombia. The voice of the little girl may not be the most suitable but the campaign gives you a nice introduction to the other colombia.



Here another video with beautiful pictures:

Hola

Here just a picture to proof that I am indeed working in Colombia. Apropos work: I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. :-) (Thomas Jefferson)
Anyway, this photo was taken after a meeting between the Minister and me in the official reception room. In the back you can see Sr. Simon Bolivar, the great liberator of large parts of South America. Credited with leading the fight for independence in what are now the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and Bolivia, he is revered as a hero in these countries and throughout much of the rest of Latin America.
Yes, it is hard to believe that next to me is indeed the Minister of Foreign Affairs. My mom thought we looked like brother and sister. Well, I think it was a wise step to have a young, dynamic, good looking woman work on turning the country´s image around. There is hardly a country with a worse image and for what I can say so far it does not seem quite fair.

Saludos

Nikolas

Foreign_Minister-you_must_be_kidding_me.2.JPG