In the early s, he began to work for various drug smugglers, often kidnapping and holding people for ransom. Escobar's infiltration into the U. As a result, he quickly became one of the richest people in the world, [ 1 ] [ 3 ] but constantly battled rival cartels domestically and abroad, leading to massacres and the murders of police officers, judges, locals, and prominent politicians. In the Colombian parliamentary election , Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives as part of the Liberal Party.
Through this, he was responsible for community projects such as the construction of houses and football fields, which gained him popularity among the locals of the towns that he frequented; however, Escobar's political ambitions were thwarted by the Colombian and U. In , Escobar escaped and went into hiding when authorities attempted to move him to a more standard holding facility, leading to a nationwide manhunt.
Escobar's legacy remains controversial; while many denounce the heinous nature of his crimes, he was seen as a " Robin Hood -like" figure for many in Colombia, as he provided many amenities to the poor. His killing was mourned and his funeral attended by over 25, people. He belonged to the Paisa ethnic subgroup. His family was of Spanish origin, specifically from the Basque Country , and also had Italian roots. His father was a small farmer and his mother was a teacher.
Escobar left high school in just before his 17th birthday, before returning two years later with his cousin Gustavo Gaviria. The two dropped out of school after more than a year, but Escobar did not give up. Having forged a high school diploma, he studied briefly in college with the goal of becoming a criminal lawyer, a politician, and eventually the president but had to give up because of lack of money.
Escobar started his criminal career with his gang by stealing tombstones, sandblasting their inscriptions, and reselling them. After dropping out of school, Escobar began to join gangs to steal cars. Escobar had been involved in organized crime for a decade when the cocaine trade began to spread in Colombia in the mids.
