77. The Hunt for Pablo Escobar: The Medellin Cartel vs Colombia (Ep 4)

The Rest Is Classified

Goalhanger

History

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

By the autumn of 1989, the hunt for Pablo Escobar and the Medellín cartel was intensifying. With the US military and intelligence agencies now directly involved, a new, more aggressive phase of the War on Drugs had begun. Join Gordon and David as they explore how Escobar, facing a relentless manhunt, leverages his position to strike an extraordinary deal with the Colombian state. Discover how he uses his “plata o plomo” (silver or lead) strategy - a mix of bribery, kidnapping, and murder - to bend the government to his will and secure his ultimate prize: the outlawing of extradition. This is the tale of Escobar’s political manoeuvring, a new president's desperate attempts to end the violence, and a surrender that was, in fact, a stunning victory. ------------------- Join The Declassified Club: Start your free trial at ⁠therestisclassified.com⁠ - go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, quarterly livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠ ------------------- Order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: classified@goalhanger.com Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Assistant Producer: Becki Hills Producer: Callum Hill Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For exclusive interviews, bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to series,
0:09.0	first look at live show tickets, a weekly newsletter, and discounted books,
0:13.1	join the declassified club at the rest is classified.com.
0:17.3	There are some things you should always check, like the hygiene rating on your local takeaway,
0:23.7	the setting on your razor, and whether the party actually is fancy dress.
0:28.5	The other thing you should check is your Experian credit report, especially if you're looking
0:33.3	to borrow money. It lets you understand what lenders see, so you can increase your chances of getting the best deals. It's dead easy to check money. It lets you understand what lenders see so you can increase your chances of getting the
0:38.9	best deals. It's dead easy to check it and completely free. See it in seconds. Download the Experian app today.
0:47.5	There are some things you should always check, like the hygiene rating on your local takeaway,
0:53.7	the setting on your razor,
0:55.4	and whether the party actually is fancy dress.
0:58.6	The other thing you should check is your Experian credit report,
1:02.3	especially if you're looking to borrow money.
1:04.7	It lets you understand what lenders see
1:06.7	so you can increase your chances of getting the best deals.
1:10.3	It's dead easy to check it and completely free.
1:14.1	See it in seconds.
1:15.4	Download the Experian app today.
1:17.8	Victory over drugs is our cause, a just cause.
1:22.6	And with your help, we are going to win.
1:26.2	Pablo Escobar, the head of the Medelline drug cartel.
1:29.8	The world's 14th, which is man.
	...

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