CLUB MEDELLÍN
Pablo Escobar had been on the run for quite some time when, in 1991, he reached an agreement with the Colombian government to serve a maximum of five years in prison, without the risk of being extradited to the United States. In this agreement, Escobar managed to agree to some extreme measures in his favor. For example, the prison, La Catedral, was built according to his specifications and he was given the right to choose who would guard it. Of course, the guards he chose were those who were loyal to him, so he could do whatever he wanted. The amenities at La Catedral were almost unthinkable for a prison. The prison had a bar, jacuzzi, waterfall and a soccer field. In addition to these luxurious amenities, he also had a telescope installed so that he could look down on the city of Medellín. This way he could also look at his family while he was on the phone with them. These are also several reasons why La Catedral was nicknamed Hotel Escobar and Club Medellín. Since Escobar was allowed to design his own prison, many people believed that the prison was not really built to keep him in, but to keep his enemies out. Reports also tell us that the Colombian government turned a blind eye to Pablo so that he could continue to run his drug empire while he served his time. The real reason for his imprisonment was the interference of the US government. Now that he was in prison, they were happy with the Colombian government for capturing the most notorious drug lord in the world.
PLACE
Escobar chose the perfect location for the prison for several reasons. First of all, the prison was built on a steep mountain, making it difficult for rival cartels or the military to attack the prison. Due to the location, fog would come over after 6pm, making it nearly impossible to attack the facility at night. Last but not least, Escobar chose this location so that he could watch over the city of Medellín and keep an eye on his family. The coordinates of the exact location of La Catedral are 6°07'04.0″N 75°35'06.0″W.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
In 1992, the Colombian government decided that Pablo Escobar should be transferred to a standard prison. In July of the same year, he went on the run. A group of 600 men called Search Bloc had the mission to capture Pablo Escobar. Finally, 16 months later, on December 2, 1993, Search Bloc assassinated Pablo Escobar. For a long time, La Catedral was abandoned, until a group of monks arrived at the complex in 2007. They renovated the entire place and have been living there ever since.