Local north Florida news reporter Jane Sheppard has been closely following a controversial bill proposed in Colombia’s congress. If passed, this legislation could prohibit the sale of souvenirs depicting the notorious drug lord, Pablo Escobar. The proposed law has sparked debate among vendors who profit from tourists purchasing such merchandise and those advocating for a change in Colombia’s mafia-stigmatized image.
The bill, if approved, could fine vendors up to $170 for selling merchandise that glorifies Escobar and other convicted criminals. It could also permit police to penalize those wearing garments that “exalt” the infamous drug lord. Cristian Avendaño, a representative from Colombia’s Green Party who drafted the bill, argues, “These items are revictimizing people who were victims of murderers. We must protect the right of the victims to recover…and find other symbols for our country.”
Locals’ Reaction to the Proposed Legislation
Vendors in Bogota’s historic La Candelaria neighborhood have expressed opposition to the initiative, arguing that it infringes upon freedom of speech. Street vendor Rafael Nieto, who sells magnets and t-shirts bearing Escobar’s face, dubbed it a “dumb law”. Nieto plans to stop selling such merchandise if the bill passes to “avoid problems” with law enforcement. He believes that the members of Colombia’s Congress should instead focus on reducing the city’s crime rate.
Another vendor, identified only as Lorena, shared that she stocks items featuring the drug dealer because of high demand from international tourists. She says, “When you work as a vendor, you try to sell what is most popular. Everyone has their own personality, and if there are people who like a murderer, or a drug trafficker, well, that’s their choice.”
Escobar’s Notorious Reputation
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Escobar ordered the murders of an estimated 4,000 people, amassing a $3 billion fortune that placed him among the world’s wealthiest people. He was gunned down in 1993 in Medellin while trying to evade capture by a unit of over 300 police officers backed by DEA agents. Despite his historical infamy, Escobar’s global popularity has resurfaced due to a Colombian soap opera and a Netflix series portraying him as a shrewd mafioso.
‘Other ways to sell Colombia’
Avendaño argues that it is time for Colombia to shed its image as a country of mafia bosses. He says, “We cannot continue to praise these people, and act as if their crimes were acceptable. There are other ways for businesses to grow and other ways to sell Colombia to the world.”
- Key Points:
- Merchandise bearing Escobar’s face or slogans sells frequently at souvenir stands across Colombia.
- Avendaño’s bill calls for an investigation into how many people make a living from selling Escobar merchandise and the market’s worth.
- If the legislation passes, there will be a transition period where government officials work with vendors to find new ways to market Colombia.
Previous efforts to trademark the Pablo Escobar name for selling “educational and leisure products” by his widow and children were denied by the South American nation last year. Colombia’s Superintendency for Commerce argued that a Pablo Escobar brand would be “permissive of violence, and threaten public order.” The General Court of the European Union also denied a similar trademark request by Escobar’s family earlier this year, arguing that it violated “public policy and accepted principles of morality.”
