Pablo Escobar As You Have Never Known Him

3. Plata o Plomo and Political Ambition
Pablo was not satisfied with being a wealthy outlaw; he craved legitimate power and public adoration. In the late 1970s, he launched massive socio-economic programs in the poverty-stricken hillsides of Medellín. He constructed entire neighborhoods like Barrio Pablo Escobar, built dozens of illuminated soccer pitches, funded medical clinics, and handed out bundles of cash to thousands of destitute citizens.
In 1982, Pablo achieved a historic milestone: he was elected as an alternate member of the Colombian Congress. He walked into the halls of government wearing tailored suits, believing he could eventually reach the presidency.
However, his political career was short-lived. Colombia’s Minister of Justice, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, alongside newspaper editor Guillermo Cano, exposed Pablo’s criminal roots on national television and in El Espectador. Humiliated and forced to resign from Congress, Pablo’s public façade crumbled, triggering a dark turn in his persona.
He established his infamous rule of governance: Plata o Plomo (Silver or Lead). You either accepted his bribe or faced an assassin’s bullet.
In April 1984, Pablo dispatched hitmen on motorcycles to assassinate Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla. It was the declaration of a full-scale war against the Colombian state.