The Pablo Escobar White House picture, explained

The name Pablo Escobar still lives on in infamy, almost three decades after his death. The drug kingpin was an unrepentant murderer … and even an aspiring politician.

Escobar was so well known that America sent a force to Colombia to take him down. Someone that famous couldn’t possibly get within the borders of the United States. But in 1981, that’s exactly what happened. Escobar didn’t just enter America, he also took a picture with his son right in front of the White House.

At the time, the drug lord was leaning more toward political aspirations. He even earned a seat on Colombia’s council the following year. Allthatsinteresting.com theorizes that Escobar could have made it into the country based on these credentials. Whether by a fake passport or legitimate, he was allowed inside the country. The big push toward eradicating Escobar’s operation in Colombia hadn’t started in earnest until President Ronald Reagan took office that year. Without a huge push against drugs at the time, it would have been easier for Escobar and his family to enter the country.

By many accounts, this photo was a part of a family vacation. Escobar was accompanied by his children and his wife, Maria. They visited Washington D.C. and Florida as tourists. This would be one of the last moments of normalcy for the family. Not soon after, drug cartels would grace the world stage, and Escobar would meet his downfall.

The life and times of Pablo Escobar was featured in Netflix’s Narcos

Involved in crime during his early years, Pablo Escobar would come to be known as the most notorious cocaine kingpin the world has ever known. America had a large demand for the drug and Escobar’s cartel was the supply. This would be the subject matter of the highly popular series, Narcos. Seasons 1 and 2 follow the rise and fall of the famous figure. Told from the perspective of DEA agent, Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook), the series also had the privilege of being one of the many series that pushed Pedro Pascal into the cultural zeitgeist.

In the series, Murphy joins Javier Peña (Pascal) in the bid to destroy Escobar’s drug operation. They partner with Colombian authorities to stop Escobar from dealing cocaine into the United States. The real Murphy was a consultant on the series and added realism to the story. The events of the series follow Murphy’s personal trials as well as Escobar’s humble beginnings as a petty criminal. He later expands into one of the biggest drug operations in history.

Escobar is portrayed by Wagner Moura, who goes to impressive lengths to portray the character. Native to Brazil, he learned how to speak Spanish and gained weight to match Escobar’s physique. He earned a Golden Globe before going on to star in Alex Garland’s frightening political prediction, Civil War. All these elements came together to portray one of the most realistic depictions of the famous figure. Escobar continues to garner intrigue for how vicious and successful he was and his bloody end. Even a simple White House picture continues to fascinate.