AHC: President Pablo Escobar

I just recently started watching Narcos, which examines the Medellin Cartel and its infamous founder, Pablo Escobar. Escobar became the "King of Cocaine", making $60 million a day from cocaine sales at one time. He was also exceedingly popular with the Colombian people, many of whom were impoverished and viewed Pablo as a kind of Robin Hood. in 1982, he was elected as a Congressman in the Colombian Chamber of Representatives, and had dreams of becoming President. Evidently, he was unable to do this, and was ultimately shot and killed at the age of 44 by Colombian National Police after escaping from his own luxury prison.

Your challenge is to change Pablo Escobar's fate, and make him President of Colombia at some point. How this happens is up to you, but try to keep it at least somewhat within the bounds of plausibility.
 
Well - first of all, Escobar as president it's an oxymoron if he maintains open links with the Medellín Cartel. He could stop being the leader and put some friend or man-of-trust in the position after making an agreement (which would go like: "I give you the power, you give me help and money" in order to work for Escobar). But as long as he works for/in the organization, it'd be impossible to stop the press from eventually finding out Escobar is a drug seller/producer/something with drugs. And that will destroy any attempt from his part to make it to the presiency, instantly.

What Escobar would need to do in order to be a possible, plausible presidential candidate is either: a) join Galán's New Liberalism and, somehow, gain enough trust within the movement to be considered a sucessor of Galán, or b) start participating in the networks of corruption, patronage and political machinery of either party (optimally the Liberal's) an search for a caudillo that will help him gain favour between the elites. All of that while using the cartel as a funder, or even a tool of pressure against his opponents. Parapolíticos' style.

Either way, he has to be patient. The traditional figures (Michelsen, Turbay, Barco) won't fade out until 1994, 1990 at best. And, even in route a, Galán probably won't have Escobar very close. I suspect that being nominated after Galán's assasination instead of Gaviria it's his best option.
 
Escobar becomes a military dictator who is overthrown in a domestic coup or deposed by the US. His life story is even bloodier and more insane than OTL, and he goes down in history as even worse a villain.
 
The problem is that it was flirting with running to become President that effectively turned the establishment against him. Professional politicians and people from political families viewed politics as their living, Escobar coming barging in threatened that and, also under American pressure, they reacted. It doesn't help fulfill the challenge but he would probably have been best off staying a Congressman with its immunity from arrest and continuing to give away large amounts of money to the poor turning them into his own personal constituency, the politicians would then have to come to him for support during elections.
 
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When Escobar ran for Congress, he was still maintaining the facade of a respectable business man. Had he pursued further a public life, I don't think he could have kept the source of his massive incomes hidden for long.
 

GI Jim

Banned
Pablo's Rise and Rise

In 1982 Pablo Escobar's election as congressman caused little concern in the halls of political power in Bogota, Colombia's capital city. A provincial being elected to congress was nothing new, and it was fair to assume that the established order would weather this peasant like it had so many others. Little did the politicians in Bogata know however, in but 6 years all of Colombia would look up to this man as their absolute leader, reigning supreme over a nation with a vital export; cocaine.

1983

In 1983 congressman Escobar relinquishes day to day operations of his cartel to his deputy and sometime hitman, John Jairo Velásquez. Contacts are made within the Colombian military with General Fernando Landazábal Reyes becoming a key ally of Escobar by the fall of 1983. Using his newfound platform as congressman Escobar begins a whistlestop tour of the nation, speaking out against poverty and social inequality. An ambitious program of slum clearance and housebuilding attracts a large working class following.

1984

Through bribery, extortion and outright murder Escobar climbs his way up to become the leader of his own political party, Justica or Justice in English. Financed by a growing and sprawling drugs empire, the party gains widespread support. In the same year however, questions are raised over Escobar's links to the criminal underworld, and a special prosecutor is appointed by the Colombian Judiciary to investigate Colombia's "man of the people".

1985

The M-19 twin attack on the palace of justice and the presidential convoy on the 6th of November 1985 would be scarred into the conciousness of every colombian. Resulting in the death of 75% of the supreme court justices and the wounding and 4 days later fatal attack on the president, represented the end of the line for the colombian military. Stating that it was required for the protection of the Colombian people, General Landazabal launched a "protective action" seizing control of the state apparatus. The crackdown against communists, percieved or otherwise, was brutal and left no stone unturned. By the end of the year, some 40,000 had been killed or "dissapeared" by the Colombian military. A regional politican by the name of Pablo Escobar was appointed minister of Justice in the new regime, conveniently quashing the investigation into his affairs.

1986

By Febuary 1986, a combination of the international pressures of human rights abuses, and internal political machinations, General Landazabal was forced to resign by several armed men at a roadside just outside of Bogata. One John Jairo Velasquez was present at the president's vehicle that night, and made sure that the proclamation of resignation was accompanied by another declaring the minister of Justice, Mr. Escobar, as acting president. The US sends a strongly worded note of protest to the Colombian embassy, but Escobar calculates that not much will come of it, due to a certain Manuel Noreiga being a US ally despite heavily being involved in Narcotics. As long as he stays clear of the Soviets, his calculation may prove fruitful.
 
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