30 FOR 30: THE TWO ESCOBARS (TV)

Summary

One in this series of sports documentaries presented by ESPN about important people and events from 1979 to 2009.

This documentary examines the interrelated lives of Colombian soccer player Andrés Escobar and Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, and the changes in their home country during their lifetimes. On June 22nd, 1994, at the World Cup in California, threats made against the Colombian team affect their gameplay to the extent that Andrés mistakenly scores a goal against his own team, creating controversy. He was born 27 years earlier in the Calasanz neighborhood of Medellín, Colombia. As a child he is a bright student who has a passion for soccer and plays it constantly after school. He is also highly religious, regularly attending Mass with his mother, who passes away at the age of 52 due to cancer. This proves to be difficult for Andrés to handle, and it influences his decision to try to pursue his dream of playing soccer professionally for team Atlético Nacional. He is put into his first game in 1987, and soon invigorates the previously mediocre team into a string of victories. Their rapid rise to prominence makes some suspicious that they are being bankrolled by Pablo Escobar.

At this time, Pablo is known as “El Patrón” or “El Señor,” and is highly influential in the Colombian drug trade. He is ruthless and orchestrates the deaths of hundreds of his opponents via his brutal enforcers. His operations take place throughout Colombia and extend to an international level, and various bribes and arrangements make him virtually impervious to interference from law enforcement. At one point he makes millions of dollars per day and is considered one of the richest people on the planet. The various mafia figures that Pablo deals with utilize soccer ticket sales as a form of money laundering; coaches misrepresent team earnings and transactions, allowing the mafia to return their investments and legalize their illicit earnings. The introduction of drug money into soccer allows coaches to recruit international talent, as well as retain their star players. Under this system, teams such as Atlético Nacional flourish, improving their play and attracting all manner of fans. Other Colombian drug dealers with a need to legalize their earnings take an interest in soccer and present Pablo with competition, creating what was known as “Narco-soccer,” a conflict between these various drug lords, each affiliated with certain teams and attempting to launder more money than their rivals. Pablo’s chief opponents include “El Mexicano” and the Millionarios football club and Miguel Rodríguez with the América de Cali team.

Each of these drug lords pour money into their affiliated teams in an effort to improve their athletic performance, a means of one-upping other teams and drug lords. Often this involves extreme measures such as violence on the field and engineered disturbances in the stands. At the national tournament in 1989, featuring Pablo’s Medellín against América de Cali, the odds-makers greatly favor Medellín and a great deal of money is at stake. América de Cali wins, although Pablo believes that the referee deliberately called the game against his team to make them lose. Pablo orders that the referee be killed, and he is shot in the stadium parking lot; his associates recount that Pablo would use any means necessary in order to secure victory for the teams he supported. His ruthlessness ensures that Atlético Nacional reaches the South American Championship, the Copa Libertadores, on May 31st, 1989. Their opponents, the Paraguayan Olimpia team, score two goals in the first half, but Atlético Nacional manage to tie the game at the final whistle. The game then enters a penalty shoot-out, and Atlético Nacional wins the shootout 5-4, thus winning the championship. Andrés is amongst the winning team and scores their first penalty kick, earning acclaim for his performance. Their victory marks the first Copa Libertadores win for Colombia in the country’s history.

Pablo invites the entire Nacional team out to his ranch to celebrate their victory. He awards them bonuses and prizes for their efforts, but Andrés is uncomfortable at accepting his gifts. Despite this, Pablo considers Andrés and the other players to be “family,” hoping to cultivate a friendship with them. Pablo, who grew up in a poor neighborhood in Medellín, decides that the only way to address the vast economic inequalities in Colombia is to “steal from the rich.” He starts with theft as a youth, and eventually transitions to smuggling contraband and dealing drugs for a living. He keeps the source of his income a secret from his family for years, using his wealth to fund the creation of a soccer field in his old neighborhood. He does the same for many impoverished communities, giving many children the chance to play and eventually go into professional sports, as was the case for Andrés and many other members of Atlético Nacional. In many of these slums, the creation of the fields lead to organized tournaments, providing a respite for people afflicted with poverty. It is through this method that Pablo cultivates relationships with players in their youth, continuing into their professional careers.

At this time, Pablo and his rival drug lords make huge wagers on teams they fly out to their private estates, made up of players hand-picked from all over the world. As the 1980’s end, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration begins linking Colombian drug trafficking with soccer. The lifestyle of drug lords and the proliferation of cocaine is not taken seriously by much of the American public until the death of NBA player Len Bias in 1986, caused by a cocaine overdose. The United States government attempts to have Pablo extradited, and in response he leads a public campaign standing up to the Colombian government, hoping to get himself elected to the Colombian House of Representatives to invalidate his extradition. He gains much popular support due to his investing in Colombian communities, creating homes, health clinics, and other needed services. At one point he discovers that several hundred displaced people are living in a municipal dump and vows to have homes built for all of them. This results in a constructed neighborhood named after him. For many poor Colombians, Pablo becomes a heroic figure for working to relieve the economic ills of their country. This popular support makes his campaign for the House of Representatives successful, and he is given four years of diplomatic immunity. However, Colombian Minister of Justice Lara Bonilla protests against this, believing that Pablo’s actions have undermined the rule of law. He is able to get Pablo removed from the House of Representatives soon after his election. Bonilla is shot and killed in retaliation. Another politician, Luis Carlos Galán, campaigns for extradition and is also killed on August 18th, 1989. These murders crystallize the Colombian government’s opposition to drug trafficking, and begins an extensive effort to bring down Pablo and his drug cartel.

Pablo responds in kind, hoping to force the Colombian president into abolishing extradition. The conflict becomes extremely violent as government offices are bombed by Pablo’s enforcers. Bloody street battles erupt between government forces and Pablo’s men, spreading violence throughout the country and killing or injuring hundreds of police officers. Andrés is heartbroken over this development, feeling as though he must do something in the face of the chaos engulfing Colombia. He attempts to help his community by sponsoring a scholarship at his old high school and working to support homeless children. The Colombian team, featuring Andrés and his teammates, trains to qualify for the World Cup, feeling that they must represent a positive image of their home country on the world stage. Their approach at using “individuality and imagination” in their playstyle make them part of a highly skilled and unpredictable team. Their performance meets with tremendous approval from their fans, as they feel a kinship with the team’s newfound identity. In the games leading up to the 1994 World Cup, Colombia is nearly undefeated against some of the best teams in the world. Soccer becomes a focal point for the Colombian people, taking their minds off of the devastation plaguing their country. Then-president César Gaviria attends most of the games and often calls the players personally in order to offer his support. The players accompany the president on his campaign across the Americas, hoping to improve the image of their country on the international stage.

The final qualifier for the World Cup takes place against two-time World Cup champion Argentina. Argentinians meet the Colombians with resistance, accusing them of being in league with drug dealers. This attitude carries over into the game, where physical altercations break out between players on both teams. Colombia surprises everyone by winning the game 5-0, completely shutting out Argentina and advancing directly to the first round of the World Cup. The attitude is ecstatic, and even the previously hostile Argentinian fans show their respects to the Colombian team. They travel to the United States for the World Cup, hoping to serve as “ambassadors” for the Colombian people. All of the players, particularly Andrés, are sought out for publicity shoots and advertisements. He feels that it is his responsibility to portray Colombians in a positive light and seeks to use his newfound fame to serve this purpose. He believes that soccer could be a means of overcoming the violence in his home country. His humble and polite demeanor earns him the nickname “the Gentleman of the Field.”

Even while being pursued by the police and hiding out, Pablo still follows all of Colombia’s soccer games. The violent conflict between Pablo’s cartel and the police continues, without any sign of abating. One by one, Pablo pays off Colombian ministers in an effort to change its constitution to rid the country of extradition. Eventually he succeeds, and an amendment to the Colombian constitution is passed. Once this occurs, Pablo surrenders and is placed in “La Catedral,” a prison of his own design overlooking Medellín. One feature of the prison is a soccer field, and Pablo often invites star Colombian players up to play with him. The media finds out about this, creating a scandal when it is discovered that Pablo has ties to the Colombian soccer team. Goalkeeper René Higuita is arrested on false charges after he is found visiting Pablo, although the rest of the team also visited him but were not arrested. Andrés is among the visitors but is uncomfortable with the idea, but feels that he has no choice. It soon becomes clear that Pablo is employing the staff of La Catedral and had essentially usurped control of his own incarceration from the government. The president decides to have Pablo removed from La Catedral, but Pablo escapes from the prison before the police can apprehend him. The president then opens up the search for Pablo to American soldiers, beginning a lengthy and involved manhunt for him.

During this manhunt, Pablo is betrayed by his close friend Carlos Castaño, who forms “PEPEs,” or “People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar,” in order to bring him in. Castaño becomes a major figure in the fight against Escobar, allying with police and special forces and utilizing his knowledge of the inner workings of Pablo’s cartel. They employ assassination and bombing as tactics to try to draw Pablo out of hiding. Using these strong-arm tactics, they either kill or recruit all of Pablo’s allies. They eventually issue Pablo an ultimatum, demanding that he reveal himself or his family would be murdered. On December 2nd, 1993, Pablo is found and killed in Medellín, inciting grief throughout the poor populace of Colombia. His death incites a crime wave as his former lieutenants each try to assert control, and one of the Colombian team’s infant children is briefly kidnapped by one of them. Violence and death erupt all over Medellín, and Andrés is nearly killed in a street bombing. This incident changes Andrés and he proposes to his longtime girlfriend Pamela Cascardo. At this time he starts receiving offers from other soccer teams, and he plans to sign up with Milan.

The 1994 World Cup begins in Pasadena, California, and on June 18th Colombia plays in the opening round against Romania. The Romanians’ more methodical play style proves to be difficult to counter, and they end up losing the game 3-1. Many gamblers lose money on their loss and there are reports of a mysterious “dark hand” faction being upset with the team. Team members find that they are being targeted, and player Chonto Herrera’s brother is killed in Medellín. Nevertheless, the team sojourns on to their second game on June 22nd, playing against the United States. Death threats are issued against various players via specially programmed television sets in their hotel rooms, calling for certain players to be excluded from the game. The team feels it has no choice but to accede to the demands. All these factors weigh heavily on the psyche of the players and has a deleterious effect on their performance on the field. It is during this game that Andrés makes the mistaken goal against his own team. This incident shocks the entire team and incites fear for Andrés’s life. They lose the round and return to Colombia amidst further threats on their lives. Andrés blames himself for the misfortunes surrounding the team, although they try to comfort him and take his mind off of the incident.

One night, on July 2nd, 1994, Andrés is killed while out in Medellín, apparently as retaliation for scoring the own goal. A service is held in his honor the next day where the president commends Andrés for his noble goals and morality. Over 2,000 people attend his funeral procession through the streets of Medellín. Investigations into the matter suggest that drug dealers are responsible for the killing, as they lost a great deal of money betting on the Colombian team at the World Cup. Accounts state that he was at a nightclub and was accosted by men about his own goal. He got into an argument with them in the parking lot and was shot six times in his car. The getaway car is identified as belonging to the Gallón brothers, a pair of notorious drug traffickers. Some believe that the killing was instead motivated by Andrés’s former association with Pablo. It is reported that Castaño accepted a large payment from the Gallón brothers to pay off the justice department and exonerate them of their crimes, instead blaming their bodyguard for the entire incident. The brothers are not charged and walk away free, angering many; the bodyguard is released from prison after serving 11 years of a 43-year sentence. Some believe that the PEPEs were behind Andrés’s death from the beginning, blaming Castaño for ordering it.

Andrés’s death proves to be extremely demoralizing for the Colombian people, as it goes against their desire to demonstrate to the rest of the world that they are not violent. Soccer attendance plummets, and many players quit soccer, either feeling that it is too dangerous for them to continue playing or simply feeling melancholy after Andrés’s death. The government cracks down on criminal operations revolving around soccer, in the process ensuring that Colombia no longer has the proper economy to support professional play. Colombia has been unable to qualify for a World Cup since 1994, and 2010 14 of its 18 clubs run the risk of bankruptcy. However, the record-high murder rates in Colombia have decreased dramatically since Pablo’s operation, and there is some hope in the Colombian people that things will get better. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: ESPN
• DATE: June 22, 2010
• RUNNING TIME: 1:47:31
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 114720
• GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries; Sports
• SUBJECT HEADING: TV - Public affairs/documentaries; TV - Sports
• SERIES RUN: ESPN - TV series, 2009-
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Keith Clinkscales … Executive Producer
• John Dahl … Executive Producer
• Joan Lynch … Executive Producer
• Connor Schell … Executive Producer
• John Skipper … Executive Producer
• Bill Simmons … Executive Producer
• John Walsh … Executive Producer
• Jeff Zimbalist … Producer, Director, Writer
• Michael Zimbalist … Producer, Director, Writer
• All Rise Films … Producer
• Dan Silver … Producer
• Erin McPherson … Associate Producer
• Viviana Galvis … Line Producer
• Mike Tollin … Consulting Producer
• Ion Furjanic … Music by
• B. Satz … Music by
• María Ester Escobar … Interviewee
• Francisco Maturana … Interviewee
• Alexis Garcia … Interviewee
• Jaime Gaviria … Interviewee
• Jhon Jairo "Popeye" Velásquez Vásquez … Interviewee
• Fernando Rodríguez Mondragon … Interviewee
• Eduardo Rojo … Interviewee
• Leonel Álvarez … Interviewee
• Luz María Escobar … Interviewee
• Chonto Herrera … Interviewee
• Tom Cash … Interviewee
• Rubén Dario Pinilla … Interviewee
• César Gaviria … Interviewee
• Pamela Cascardo … Interviewee
• Barrabás Gómez … Interviewee
• Juan José Bellini … Interviewee
• Carlos "Pibe" Valderrama … Interviewee
• Faustino Asprilla … Interviewee
• Adolfo "El Tren" Valencia … Interviewee
• César Mauricio Velásquez … Interviewee
• Fernando Brito … Interviewee
• Oscar Córdoba … Interviewee
• Chicho Serna … Interviewee
• Len Bias
• Lara Bonilla
• Carlos Castaño
• Andrés Escobar
• Pablo Escobar
• Luis Carlos Galán
• René Higuita
• Miguel Rodríguez