Will Colombia ban Pablo Escobar memorabilia? | Global News Avenue

A proposed law from the Colombian Congress aims to prohibit the sale of goods that celebrate the former drug Pablo Escobar. But the opinions differed.

On Monday, November 27, 1989, Gonzalo Rojas was at a school in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, when a teacher pulled him out of the classroom and made some devastating news.

His father, also known as Gonzalo, died that morning in a plane crash.

“I remember leaving and seeing my mom and grandma waiting for me, crying,” Mr. Rojas said. “It was a very, very sad day.”

Minutes after departure, the explosion on Avianca Flight 203 killed 107 passengers and crew, as well as three people who were hit by debris on the ground.

The explosion is not accidental. This was intentional bomb attack by Pablo Escobar and his Medellín cartel.

Although the era defined by drug wars, explosions, kidnappings and high murder rates in the sky have largely been relegated to the past of Colombia, Escobar’s legacy has not.

Killed by security forces in 1993, the notorious criminal has achieved a near-cult status worldwide, immortalized in books, music and television works such as the Netflix Series Narcos.

In Colombia itself, his name and face are decorated in tour shops on cups, keychains and T-shirts, mainly to cater to curious tourists.

But a proposed law from the Colombian Congress is seeking to change that.

The bill hopes to ban Escobar goods (and other convicted criminals) to help end the glory of drug bosses at the heart of the global cocaine trade and to be widely slaughtered by at least 4,000 people.

“The difficult problem is part of our country’s history and memory, and it cannot be simply remembered by T-shirts or stickers sold on street corners,” said Juan Sebastián Gómez, a MP and co-author of the bill.

The proposed law will prohibit the sale, as well as the use and carry of clothing and items of criminals, including Escobar. This means fines for those who violate the rules and temporarily suspend the business.

Many suppliers selling goods require a law that prohibits such goods to harm their livelihoods.

“It’s so bad. We have the right to work, and these Pablo T-shirts are especially always selling well,” said Joana Montoya.

Escobar’s hometown, Medellín, was known in the late 1980s and early 1990s as “the most dangerous city in the world” due to violence related to the drug war and armed conflict in Colombia.

Today, it has revitalized the hub of innovation and tourism, and suppliers are eager to cash in on the influx of tourists who want to bring home souvenirs – some related to Escobar.

“This Escobar merchandise benefits many families – it can sustain us. It can help us pay rent, buy food, and take care of our children,” said Ms. Montaya, who supports herself and her young daughter.

Ms Montoya said at least 15% of her sales come from Escobar products, but some sellers told the BBC that for them, it is as high as 60%.

If the bill is approved, the seller will have a defined time period to familiarize himself with the new rules and phase out its Escobar stock.

“We need a transitional phase so that people can stop selling these products and replace them with other products,” explains MP Gomez. He said Colombia has more interesting things to show than the drug aristocrats, and with Esco Barr’s connections have polluted the country abroad.

Some T-shirts cost about £5 with Escobar-related slogans – “Silver or Lead?”. This symbolizes the choice the cartel boss gives to those who pose a threat to criminal action: accept bribes or be killed.

Store assistant María Suarez believes that profits from the sale of Escobar merchandise are not ethical.

“We need this ban. He did a bad thing, these souvenirs don’t exist,” she said, explaining that she was uncomfortable with the boss’ stock of Escobar items.

Escobar and his Medellín Cartel are believed to control 80% of cocaine entering the United States. In 1987, he was named one of the richest people in the world by Forbes magazine.

He spent some wealth to develop deprived communities, but many saw it as a strategy to buy loyalty from certain groups.

Rojas remembers from the years since his father’s death as a calm and responsible man who loves his family. For him, the bill was a decisive moment.

“It’s about how we reflect on the commercialization of Pablo Escobar’s image to correct milestones on its path,” Rojas said.

However, he did criticize the proposals. He believes the bill is not enough to focus on education.

Mr. Rojas recalls a day a few years ago when he met a man in a green T-shirt with the outline of Escobar on it, and “Pablo, President” ”.

“It confused me so much that I couldn’t say anything to him,” he said.

“More emphasis is needed on how we convey different messages to the new generation so that there is no positive image of the cartel boss.”

Mr. Rojas is actively involved in efforts to reshape the narratives of Escobar and the drug dealings. He, along with some other victims, launched Narcostore.com in 2019, an online store that appears to sell items with Escobar-themed.

However, it does not actually exist, and when the client selects a project, video testimony is presented to the victim. Mr Rojas said the site attracted 180 million visits from around the world.

In Colombia’s Congress, the bill faces four stages and needs to be passed to become law. Gomez said he hopes it can reflect on both inside and outside Congress.

“In Germany, you won’t sell Hitler T-shirts or swastikas. In Italy, you won’t sell Mussolini stickers, and you won’t go to Chile and get a copy of your Pinochet ID card.

“I think the most important thing that the bill can do is to treat dialogue as a country – dialogue that has not happened yet.”

Mayor Medellin – also a presidential candidate for the 2022 election – has publicly supported the bill, calling goods “an insult to cities, states and victims.”

In the upscale El Poblado in Medellín, three Americans browsed a stall with souvenirs. A person buys a hat under the name of Escobar and has a face printed on the front. He said he wanted souvenirs of “history”.

But for supporters of the bill, it is not about deleting Escobar’s history, but about erasing his mythical structure, promoting new ways to commemorate his murdered victims, and Acknowledge the victim’s suffering left by the victim.