Original subtitles

HE WHO DOESN'T KNOW HISTORY IS DOOMED TO REPEAT IT

PABLO ESCOBAR, THE LORD OF EVIL

First it was a car bomb, then a bus with 500 kilograms of explosives

that killed hundreds of my collaborators and left a significant number of wounded.

But you haven't answered my question, General.

What do you, one of those Pablo Escobar tried to kill,

think about the news on his surrender?

Well, I must join the feeling of all Colombians at this moment.

It is true that the people were tired of so many kidnappings,

so many bombs and so many murders.

Then, I have nothing to do but celebrate his surrender.

Don Guillermo Cano always said that we journalists should inquire

not into what the person being interviewed says but into what they don't say.

What are you hiding from me, General?

Absolutely nothing, my dear journalist. How could you think that?

Are you saying that my professor was wrong?

Niki...

the news today is the hostages' release.

So I really don't understand why you are interviewing me.

I don't understand it either. What bothers you about this process?

Is that why you don't talk? Is there something you don't agree with?

I'm going to tell you something.

You won't get a statement from me

that will question the decisions of the national government.

Are we agreed?

The tape recorder is off, General.

I'm not going to have evidence to support your words.

Thank you!

Excuse me, please! We'll talk later.

You are...

I am Alberto Villamizar, the lady's husband.

- Nene! How are you? - Alberto!

- Alberto, I'm so happy to see you! - You look very pretty!

No! I am fat, I am wasted away. I look awful.

No, you aren't fat! Don't be silly. You look beautiful, very pretty!

Mr. Villamizar!

I am sorry. I'm going to ask for a moment of privacy.

Later on Maruja will be glad to give you a statement.

Tell us something, Mr. Villamizar.

Well, all I can tell you is that after eight months in captivity,

that nightmare finally came to an end.

- When is Escobar going to give in? - I hope it will be very soon.

Now if you allow me... Agents, come and help me, please!

- Sir... one more question! - Thank you! Statements later.

Another question sir, please!

Ready? All right, come and untie me.

On a day already considered historical for the country,

Colombians are looking forward for the release of Fernán Santana

and the surrender of Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria,

the head of the Medellín Cartel, to justice.

I think so; I think he's going to give himself in.

Did the person you used to talk ever suggested that Pablo Escobar

could be arranging his surrender to justice?

- Yes, of course. - What did they specifically tell you?

That Pablo Escobar was seriously thinking about giving in,

something that was the conclusion

of a work he had been doing for a year approximately.

Maruja, how were those days in captivity for you?

- Can you tell us about it? - Well, I would say, it is, you know,

like a feeling, you know, like living a single day and a single night.

Oftentimes I surprised myself watching another episode of a TV program

and realizing that another week had gone by.

I wish to express my gratitude to all Colombians,

and most especially to the media, which were essential...

Don't uncover your face, man!

Who is going to think I'm reading with this book so near my face like this?

Do you know what happens?

That if they see your face, we'll fuck it all up, brother...

and much more knowing that everyone is waiting for your release, man.

Let me get out of here.

Hey, the cops are coming. Oh my God, brother.

I'll never run this risk again.

Move, brother, get out! And don't talk too much, you hear?!

Move, move brother, move! Start the car, c'mon! Do it!

Are you free, sir?

They released him! They released him!

They released him! They released him!

They released him!

Latest news! It has been confirmed

that Fernan Santana was released in Bogotá

after eight months in the hands of The Extraditable Group.

Maruja Pachón and Fernan Santana meet their families again.

Forgive me.

- Hi! - Hi!

Tell me how it feels to sleep in your bed again after so long?

Just imagine it...

I missed you so much, Alberto.

I missed you too, but relax, rest, all right?

No, I don't want to.

I'd rather like to go out to walk and have a good breakfast.

- Good!! - Will you accompany me?

I can't... you know that.

I promised Escobar that if you were released,

I would immediately go to Medellín.

I can't believe we can't get rid of Escobar.

And I'm going to be there when he gives in.

He kept his word, he released you. And now I'm going to keep mine.

Thank you very much for what you did for me.

It must have been very difficult.

Difficult? Are you, who were kidnapped for seven months, telling me that?

Rest, please, and promise something to me, Maruja.

Promise you will never separate from me again.

Never more, Alberto.

I'll call you when I get to Medellín.

- Please. - Sure.

I love you.

Goodness!!

General Peraza Negotiated By Escobar

Congratulations, Niki.

The release of the hostages was the news of the day,

and you made the President talk about something different.

It is fine that Escobar has given himself in, but don't let them fool us.

The country must know the price it has had to pay.

At this rate, you'll end up leaving Fernando without a job...

and me too.

C'mon, Juangui! How can you think that? I am not interested, not now.

I thought that was one of your priorities, Niki...

It is, but...

I have different plans.

I'm going to tell you now, Juangui.

You're scaring me.

I'm going to specialize in New York.

"The dismissal of General Ariel Peraza is imminent,

as is the surrender of the head of the Medellín Cartel,

Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria."

If the boss finds us reading that rag,

- he'll hang us from our balls, brother. - Why? He was the one who asked for it.

Hey, is it true that we all will be caged? The good life is over, guys,

because as far as I know, we all will have to give in, right?

And just now when we doing our best, brother.

What are we going to do in jail?

All right, the boss will give us a monthly payment

and we will make more or less good living,

but money and the jobs are on the streets, brother.

But locked in we are going to be more relaxed. You get me?

- Relaxed? - Of course.

Listen, I am the king of the criminals. If my mother fucks it up, I'll kill her.

Why should I be locked in, brother?

I belong to streets, to fluttering and bullets.

If you want to bury yourselves, do it, buddy!

I don't have to give in to those people. Shit!!

- What about this, huh? - Good morning, Don Pablo.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Who said you are going to give in? I need you fighting on the streets.

I have enough things to do out there and can't afford having you secluded.

Thank goodness, boss.

Listen, all criminals from Medellín call all the time

asking if there is work to do, that what's going to happen.

But now that you said that, everything is fine, relax.

Go ahead and tell them that even if I give in

and stay confined in the Cathedral,

we are going to be in control of the city of Medellín,

and will keep organizing whatever we have to do.

Look, sir. They are saying something about General Peraza too.

Listen to me. Many of you are going to stay out.

I will only need Earring, Marino and Vulture in here.

Whatever you say, Don Pablo.

Whose is this one?

Thank you very much!

Of course I have to thank you, don Julio.

Without your mediation, we couldn't have attained anything with Escobar.

Well, your wife and Fernan were released.

That's what was expected, wasn't it?

Well, almost. All we need now is Escobar's give in...

That's why I told you that Pablo needed a man of his word, and you kept your word.

Now you have to accompany him throughout his give in process.

Of course, and I'm going to be there.

Please don't allow that the government fails keeping its promise.

This country can't bear an enraged Pablo again.

That's not going to happen, Irma. Relax, take my word for it.

I think this call is for you.

Hello!

I'm very sorry to spoil you first day of enjoyment with your lady wife,

but there is much work to be done here in Medellín.

Yes, I see.

The government agrees with your prison proposal.

I'll just have to go and take a look at it.

Well, Mr. Villamizar, the Envigado municipality

hasn't yet finished making the prison suitable to the needs,

so you aren't going to have the chance to see it completed.

I see. Well, that doesn't matter. I'll have to take a look at it anyway.

Well, there is something else.

Can you tell me about the disciplinary order against that couple of cops?

Listen, Pablo.

I don't think it is a good idea to spoil such a serious process

just because you want to ruin the life of two police officers.

You already have General Peraza's head.

Let's leave Colonel Pabón alone, don't you think so?

One more thing.

I need a safe line in Bogotá for you and me to communicate

and keep the process advancing.

Oh, all right. I think we can use my neighbor's line.

Okay.

So everything is all right. What else do you need for surrendering?

Let's set a date for this shit!

Listen, Mr. Villamizar, I'm going to be clear with you

because I am an honest person, I am a decent person.

I'm going to keep my promise, yes.

But there is something very important I want to make clear

and it is that you shouldn't have unrealistic expectations with me.

All right. I'm listening.

The date of my surrender doesn't depend on me but on you.

I'm not going to give myself in

until the no extradition of Colombians to the United States

has been expressly stated in the new Magna Carta.

The boss has ordered that the organization will keep moving as usual,

but now from the Cathedral, got it?

And I need you to get this into your head.

Don't let your people do whatever they want,

because from now on any murder, kidnapping, robbery

or whatever has to be previously approved by Don Pablo. Understood?

Okay, fine. There is no problem.

One more thing, crack houses are going to be managed as usual,

but bribe money will go to the prison.

Do you think the government is going to allow Escobar

to continue his criminal activity from the prison?

Are you a dumb or what?

Or do you think he's going to tell the government what we are doing?

Well, I went through the whole thing, and it looked like a normal prison to me.

Very good, the idea was to prevent having him confined in a hotel.

Another request or what?

Well, he is asking for security guards from Medellín,

and has no problem with the Army security ring.

When can we count on that surrender?

I don't know, he didn't say anything about that.

He is asking for the attendance of Antioquia's provincial government officers

and someone from the attorney general's office,

as well as Father Gomez Herrera.

Good afternoon. President... gentlemen... am I interrupting?

Oh... come in, General.

Thank you.

Gentlemen, I have something important to talk to the general.

Oh, sure.

- Excuse me. - Excuse me.

Mr. President, first of all I want to tell you

that I had nothing to do

with what El Espectador front page published today,

because that's why you called me, right?

It can't be that while God was showing us the road to heaven,

we met Satan,

embodied in Pablo Escobar Gaviria, in the middle of it.

Mr. Escobar is not only a criminal,

- but a pornographer and a child abuser. - Look at this snitch.

A criminal the country shouldn't give a single concession to.

In your hands, Lord, we place this day that has gone by...

Yes?

All right, I'll go now.

Escobar?

It's fucked off!

- Yes? - Did you hear what the priest said?

First of all, calm down.

Did you or didn't you hear what he said?!

- Yes, I did. - Well! So?

Can you explain to me why that priest dares to tell the public opinion

that I am a pornographer,

a child abuser, a criminal?

How could he?

Listen to what I'm going to tell you, Mr. Villamizar.

That damn old priest is dead!

Pablo, listen. First of all, calm down. I'm going to find out what happened!

No! Find out, my foot, no way! This problem has to be solved right away!

All right, we're going to solve it, don't worry,

but first of all you have to understand that we should keep our course.

We don't have any course, Mr. Villamizar, no course,

until that irresponsible preacher comes and tells me why the hell he even dares

to insinuate that I could harm a child?

Listen, I'm going to locate him.

Do it and tell him that the order is clear:

he must present himself before Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, and apologize,

otherwise the whole peace process will go to hell.

There will be no surrendering!!

All right, Pablo, but calm down. You are thinking with a hot head.

Yes sir, I think with a poisoned head! How about that?

Find the priest and tell him what I asked!

If not, I am capable to put a bomb inside his poncho.

I don't give a damn!

Thank you very much, Mrs. Ana María. It is spectacular!

Oh! I'm glad you liked it!

See what you are going to miss in New York!

Well, and changing the subject,

how can we interpret Father Hugo Gomez Herrera's statements

accusing Pablo Escobar of pornographer and child abuser?

The guy is a terrorist, an assassin, a drug-trafficker.

And now a child abuser? Do you think they can prove it?

If he said so, there must be a reason...

Do you think this can affect his giving-in?

If only it were so...

If only it were so, mother?

Don't misinterpret me. I want Guillermo's assassin in jail,

I want the barbarity of these past years to end.

But like this? Are you sure Pablo Escobar is giving himself in?

Or is it the State that is yielding to him?

They have accepted practically everything he has asked for.

C'mon! They are not going to extradite him!

They don't have any crime they can accuse him of,

they are going to allow him to design his own prison,

and Peraza will be dismissed.

For God's sake! What kind of surrender is that?!

We must call things by their name!

Pablo Escobar is not the loser, but the winner!

I'm going to get more wine.

I almost couldn't convince Father Gomez to go to Medellín.

But what were his arguments to call Escobar a child pornographer?

Well... that God whispered it in his ear.

I can't believe that God spoiled Escobar's give-in.

Ask Pablo to turn the page, and don't worry about those things.

All right, and if the priest needs to publicly apologize,

I'll give him the front page of El Tiempo newspaper,

- and that will be it. - No, that's not necessary,

because we're leaving right now to Medellín.

Well,

I hope things will come out fine,

that surrendering can't wait.

Thank you, Mr. President, but I want to ask you a big favor.

Tell me.

Well, now that Escobar feels he was betrayed by the priest,

and he is even capable of putting a bomb to the Pope.

I want to ask you not to break what you promised him.

I was wrong! I was really referring to another person.

I don't know why Pablo Escobar's name came to my mind!

Probably because he was so concerned with the process of surrendering.

It could have been that.

Sure!

The only thing I want is not to lose the progress we have made with Pablo.

Relax, Father, don't worry. You'll have time to apologize to him.

But make it fast, because you're not going to make me sleep here as the last time.

No way, no sir.

How is your return to freedom going?

Did you already adjust to it?

I'm already working on it, doing exercise... something I hate...

... to see if I can get rid of these pounds I gained.

I also enjoy the sun, and taking advantage of the time with Alberto and my children.

Well, all this has fortunately ended, right?

I wanted to personally thank you for all you have done for us.

I know what you were going through,

because my daughter experienced that tragedy too.

And I know what your husband is feeling, and well, you too.

Yes, that was definitively the most difficult experience of my life,

added to the death of my brother in law, the attempt against Alberto...

I really think we have already paid the quota of pain we had to pay

for the peace of this country.

I hope it will be so...

And that the father's slips won't harm this giving-in process, right?

Making mistakes is human, but admitting it is even more,

and since there is no one to apologize to, I'm leaving.

Father, please don't go. Don't, please! Be patient!

Father, please... that is the call we were waiting.

Listen, Father.

I may be the worst criminal this country has given birth to,

but I never, listen to me very well, never would harm a child!

I know that, Son. I already asked you to forgive me,

but that slip of mine can't affect your giving in.

We have to go on.

Is that what worries you?

Because I'm sure they are pressing you to talk to me.

No, Son. The apologies come from my heart.

Tell me first where you got all those barbarities,

all that slandering and all those insults you said against me?

I don't know. Wait until you are my age,

and you will see that reality starts to mix with imagination and dreams,

but I swear I have no idea of why I said that.

You made a very serious mistake, Father. Very serious.

I know, I know it, but please don't throw everything overboard.

You have to give in, Pablo.

Please don't betray the Lord.

Hello? Pa... Pablo, Pa...?

What happened? What did he say? Is he going to give himself in?

I don't know. He hung up on me.

If you came here to say good-bye

is because you decided to accept the apologies of the priest.

The time has come, Peluche. This is the end, and I mean it.

This is your achievement, brother.

You alone strived for things to come out your way, just as you wanted.

It's a shame that my cousin Gonzalo or Fabio are not here

- to enjoy this new stage. - You are right.

You know what?

I still remember the exact moment you decided what life you wanted to have.

I'm going to make an oath. If five years from now

I don't have one million pesos in my pocket, I'll shoot myself.

And look, I swear it by the Holy Child of Atocha.

I was sure I was not going to stay poor.

I owe everything I am and everything I have to cocaine.

All my wealth comes from cocaine,

and look how ironical life is, I never tried it.

You know something?

I want to confess that...

I've always wondered why

being your oldest brother

I never had your ability, your resolve, to progress in life

but always stayed behind.

I never had the ability to protect the family as you did.

But after thinking about it,

I realized that was the way things should be, Pablo.

And I want you to know something, brother: I am so proud of you, you hear?

Very proud.

Thank you very much, Peluche.

I also want you to know that...

... I've always respected you for what you are,

for what you mean to me, for being my oldest brother,

and I am sure that if you hadn't been at my side all these years,

things would be quite different. You get me?

Maybe you and I could be the ones buried in there.

Yes, but thank God

we still have life and strength

to enjoy money and life every day.

Latest news! After having thought that everything had been lost,

Colombia is about to witness the most significant surrender

of a national drug-trafficker ever.

At this moment a commission headed by Congressman Alberto Villamizar

departs from the Antioquia governor's office

to an unknown place where Escobar will be picked up.

Alongside giving myself in to justice, I want to pay a homage to my parents,

to my irreplaceable and unsurpassable wife,

to my pacifist 14-year-old son,

to my seven-year-old gap-toothed dancer girl,

and to all my family I love so much.

At these moments of surrender of weapons by the guerrillas

and pacification of the country, I couldn't remain indifferent

before the yearning for peace of most Colombian people.

Pablo Escobar Gaviria, Envigado, Colombia, June 19th 1991.

"Won't it be more accurate to talk about the state's submission

to the will of criminals?

Aren't they looking for the impunity of their crimes

taking advantage of the difficulty the Colombian justice will have

to prove their responsibility in crimes committed overseas?"

- That's enough, Mr. President. - No! Listen to this.

"Wouldn't they be relying on the weakness of a threatened justice?

It can be said without contradicting reality,

that the surrender of narco-terrorist leaders

is a triumph of justice and law."

I can't convince myself that this is really happening today.

It is only natural that Don Guillermo Cano's son

questions the surrendering of his father's assassin.

Well yes, I agree with the misgivings expressed by some,

but they must understand what the country has been going through.

We had to do whatever was necessary for Escobar to give himself in.

Yes, and that's why we did it.

I want to talk to them.

Mr. President, don't waste yourself arguing with El Espectador.

Villamizar will call at any moment to confirm what we have been waiting for.

Hello!

Thank you.

The Constituents have just banned the extradition of Colombians.

Fifty-one yes votes, three no votes, and five abstentions.

That means a landslide victory against extradition.

Of course that some will say

the Extraditable bought the constituent assembly.

Pablo Escobar may have threatened or bribe two or three constituents,

but this victory reflects the people's will.

- We can't keep opposing to it. - People wants what we do.

That this violence chapter in the country ends once and for all.

I hope that what happened today will definitely close it.

Do you feel okay?

Good morning sirs, Mr. Escobar. How are you?

I am the director of the prison.

Please give me your ID

and we will continue with the fingerprint registration process, okay?

Well, I never carry an ID,

and we can do the fingerprint registration later,

because I'm here with my visitors.

- We are leaving already. - No, no, Father!

Let's do a last thing...

to seven years of persecution, outrage and fight,

I want to add the years in prison

necessary to contribute to the peace of my family,

the peace of Colombia,

to the strengthening of respect for human rights,

to the strengthening of the people

and of my beloved Colombian country.

Thank you.

Now if you will allow me, we two can talk in a little while.

- Now I have to talk to Patricia. - Don't take long, Pablo.

No, I won't, don't worry. Thank you, Father.

Father, come, let's talk.

Thank you very much for the presents,

the words... I'm going to miss you a lot.

And we will miss you too, Niki.

I don't know where we are going to find a person that will insist

on having drug-trafficking news the way you used to do.

And you're going to need that person, Juangui.

Drug-traffic won't end with Escobar's giving-in.

You had to spoil the party,

more than what we did with today's editorial.

Well, this party is going to get spoiled,

there are too many news and much work to do.

Such is life. Escobar is giving in, and I'm leaving El Espectador.

I bet you did in on purpose for us not to forget this moment of your life.

We are not going to forget you, Niki.

You were very important to this newspaper,

to my family, to my father.

Thanks a lot for everything, Niki. Thank you for everything you left us.

Thank you for giving me the chance.

Thank you, Fernando.

Take care of yourself.

MEDELLÍN'S CARTEL ORGANIZATION CHART

You definitely belong to a very strange race, Mr. Villamizar,

because you are the only politician one can trust.

Well, this is what this relationship is for, isn't it?

That you can trust my word and I can trust yours.

That's exactly why your wife is free and I am here.

And I feel glad for it.

Mr. Villamizar, I want to ask you a big favor.

That now that I'm giving in, don't forget about me or play the fool,

because you are the only interlocutor I have.

I'm going to help you as much as I can, but before anything,

I want you to clarify something to me: why were you so merciless with me?

With my family? With my friends?

You killed Galán, kidnapped my wife and my sister, and almost killed me.

Yes, I know...

I was particularly tough with you and your family members.

And I want to take this moment to sincerely apologize to you,

but understand that I was the first one to be attacked and the first victim

because Mr. Galán took it against me,

and I want to make it clear once and for all that I didn't kill Mr. Galán.

Many more people participated in it.

I don't understand why you think that solving a problem means killing somebody.

Mr. Villamizar, I repeat that I haven't killed anybody.

So you are going to say you didn't try to kill me...

Well, since you became obsessed with supporting extradition,

you became a military target for the union, the Medellín Cartel.

Fortunately, that didn't go further.

Well, yes. I hope that after all this,

you and I will have a life more at ease,

and that all those things you told me about actually come true.

I know that after my giving-in, this Colombian motherland of mine

is going to become a much better place to live for all.

Yes, I suppose all this was worthy.

Say hello to you wife...

and tell her that I'm sorry about that unpleasant incident with the ring.

There is no problem with that.

I know you and I will become very good friends.

I know why I'm saying it, Mr. Villamizar.

Being your interlocutor is enough for me.

Listen, if you or the members of your family ever need anything,

don't hesitate to call me.

I'll always be willing to collaborate because, starting this moment,

you are another friend of mine, Mr. Villamizar.

ENVIGADO JULY, 1991

What's up, Son? How are you? So what's up kids?

Did you set it for two...

There it is sir.

Move it over there.

- This is yours. - Yes, yes, I got it.

Where do we accommodate this, boss?

Leave it there. Let's leave it behind, friend, please.

Pass it!!

No!!

What?

And you, pass that ball, man! Pass it!

- Mole! - Hi boss? Are you going to play?

Those trunks you are playing with aren't even good to open a furniture company.

So what happened with the job I asked you to do?

That job is on the way, boss.

What do you mean on the way, Mole? What type of answer is that?

When you come to get your salary, do I tell you your money is on the way?

- No, boss. Of course not. - What then?

The mass will start in five minutes, boss, I guarantee it.

Go ahead then, Son.

This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Blessings for those invited to the Lord's Supper.

Body of Christ...

This series is freely adapted from La Parábola de Pablo by Alonso Salazar.

Based on news articles and real events, the historical facts are surrounded

by fictional characters and dialogues that recreate non documented situations.