A LONG PHONE CALL HELPS TARGET ESCOBAR

Chapter 34 of a continuing serial

With the police Search Bloc listening in and recording the
conversation, Pablo Escobar chatted on the phone with his wife and
family as they holed up in a hotel in Bogota, trying desperately to
get out of Colombia. It was Thursday, Dec. 2, 1993.

After Escobar had spoken with his wife, his son, Juan Pablo, got back
on the line. Juan Pablo had been given a list of questions from a journalist.

Often, when Escobar was in trouble, he used the Colombian media to
broadcast his messages and demands, trying to whip up public sentiment
in his favor. Other times, when he was displeased with the media, he
would have reporters and editors killed. Juan Pablo wanted his
father's advice on how to answer these questions.

"Look, this is very important in Bogota," Escobar told his son. He
suggested that they might also be able to sell his answers to
publications overseas, an opportunity to lobby publicly for his family
to be given refuge. For now he just wanted to hear what the questions
were. He said he would call back later to help his son answer them.

"This is also publicity," Escobar said. "Explaining the reasons and
other matters to them. Do you understand? Well done and well organized."

"Yes, yes," Juan Pablo said. He began to read the questions: "
'Whatever the country, refuge is conditioned on the immediate
surrender of your father. Would your father be willing to turn himself
in if you are settled somewhere?' "

". . . Go on," Pablo instructed.

"The next one is, 'Would he be willing to turn himself in before you
take refuge abroad?' "

"Go on."

"I spoke with the man and he told me that if there were some questions
I did not want to answer, there was no problem, and if I wanted to add
some questions, he would include them."

"OK. The next one?"

" 'Why do you think that several countries have refused to receive
your family?' OK?"

"Yes."

" 'From which embassies have you requested help for them to take you
in. . . ?' "

"OK."

" 'Don't you think your father's situation, accused of X number of
crimes, assassination of public figures, considered one of the most
powerful drug traffickers in the world . . . ?' " Juan Pablo stopped
reading.

"Go on."

"But there are many. Around 40 questions."

Escobar told his son he would call back later in the day. "I may find
a way to communicate by fax," he said.

"No," Juan Pablo said, apparently concerned that use of a fax would
somehow be too dangerous.

"No, huh? OK. OK. So, good luck."

Escobar hung up.

Lt. Hugo Martinez and his special Colombian police electronic tracking
team had not been able to assemble in time to chase the signal from
this phone call. However, the American technicians at Centra Spike and
the Search Bloc's own fixed listening posts had triangulated it to the
same Los Olivos neighborhood where the calls had originated the day
before.

They hunkered down and waited for the promised next call. If Escobar
was going to try to answer 40 questions, he was going to be on the
phone a long time.

At precisely 3 p.m. that Thursday, Escobar called his son
back.

Juan Pablo again began relaying the journalist's questions. The first
asked the son to explain what it would take for his father to surrender.

Escobar instructed, "Tell him: 'My father cannot turn himself in
unless he has guarantees for his security.' "

"OK," said Juan Pablo.

"And we totally support him in that."

"OK."

"Above any considerations."

"Yep."

"My father is not going to turn himself in before we are placed in a
foreign country, and while the police -"

"The police and DAS is better," interjected Juan Pablo. "Because the
DAS are also searching."

"It's only the police."

"Oh, OK."

Pablo, resuming: "While the police -"

"Yeah."

"OK, let's change it to, 'while the security organizations. . .'
"

"Yeah."

". . . continue to kidnap . . ."

"Yeah."

". . . torture. . ."

"Yeah."

". . . and commit massacres in Medellin.' "

"Yes, all right."

"OK," Pablo said. "The next one."

Chapters in this series with links:

Chapter 1: Escobar's Rise To Power
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1692/a04.html

Chapter 1 (continued): A Deadly Manhunt Guided By The US
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1690/a07.html

Chapter 2: A Top-Secret Electronic Tracking Unit Rejoins The Hunt
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1696/a07.html

Chapter 3: With Escobar Eluding Capture, Americans Summon Delta Force
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1702/a01.html

Chapter 4: Delta Force, In Bogota, Gets The Lay Of A Confusing Land
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1704/a08.html

Chapter 5: Raring To Get Started, Delta Learns Its Limits
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1712/a10.html

Chapter 6: Delta, Colombians Get Off To Bad Start
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1715/a05.html

Chapter 7: Incorruptible Colonel Rejoins Escobar Pursuit
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1729/a05.html

Chapter 8: Escobar's Nemesis Hones His Troops For The Hunt
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1727/a04.html

Chapter 9: Luxury 'Prison' Affords A Rare Look At Escobar
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1741.a07.html

Chapter 10: A Conditional Offer To Surrender
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1733/a06.html

Chapter 11: Frustrating Hunt Gives Rise To Vigilantism
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1741.a08.html

Chapter 12: Homegrown Escobar Enemy Joins Fight
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1743.a06.html

Chapter 13: Escobar's Powerful Foes Ally Against Him
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1746.a08.html

Chapter 14: Angry Widow Aids Pursuit Of Escobar
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1752/a09.html

Chapter 15: A Former Ally Offers A Profile Of Escobar
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1757/a04.html

Chapter 16: A Rivalry Grows Between Spy Units
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1779/a06.html

Chapter 17: A Traitor Within The Search Bloc
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1776/a01.html

Chapter 18: Los Pepes' Killings Put Heat On Escobar
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1781/a01.html

Chapter 19: Escobar Complains Of Unfair Treatment
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1788/a03.html

Chapter 20: U.S. Spy Data, Vigilante Killings Start To Coincide
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1818.a09.html

Chapter 21: 'Tacit Support' For Tough Tactics
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1816.a07.html

Chapter 22: Martinez Pushes Ahead With The Hunt
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1819/a02.html

Chapter 23: Search Bloc Leader Tries To Keep His Son From Joining The
Manhunt http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1816.a07.html

Chapter 24: Pressure Mounts On Escobar Family
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1821/a01.html

Chapter 25: A Father And Son's High-Tech Connection
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1826/a01.html

Chapter 26: Mission Stirs Concern Back Home
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1836/a07.html

Chapter 27: Trackers Get A Line On Elusive Escobar
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1843/a05.html

Chapter 28: As The Hunters Close In, A Narrow Escape
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1849/a05.html

Chapter 29: Escobar's Wife, Children Become The Bait
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1853/a04.html

Chapter 30: Escobar Employs A Ruse As His Family Takes Flight
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1856.a04.html

Chapter 31: Denied Escape, Escobar's Family Returns Home
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1864.a03.html

Chapter 32: Ever Elusive Escobar Still Intent On Settling Scores
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1869.a05.html

Chapter 33: Quietly, Search Bloc Pins Escobar Down
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1872.a07.html