Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord who founded and led the MedellÃn Cartel, one of the most powerful and brutal criminal organizations in history. During the 1980s, his cartel controlled a vast majority of the cocaine trade flowing into the United States, amassing him immense wealth and power. Escobar's reign was characterized by extreme violence, including bombings, assassinations, and widespread corruption, as he fought against rival cartels and the Colombian government's efforts to extradite him. He became infamous for his ruthlessness and his lavish lifestyle, simultaneously feared and admired by many in Colombia, where he funded social projects in an attempt to gain popular support. He was killed by Colombian National Police in 1993, marking a significant turning point in the war on drugs.
