Steve Murphy quotes from Narcos

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Life goes on, right? And for Escobar, that was a pretty good thing. He remained at large, protected by an army of sicarios, in a city that refused to give him up. Pablo kept his lawyers working overtime, continuing to negotiate his surrender with Colombian Attorney General De Greiff. But it was bullshit. Why surrender when you're holding all the cards? He was free.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Martinez was right, we all need a method. Something to cling to when the shit around us gets so deep, we might go under. Something to guide us home when we feel we've lost our way. If we're lucky, someone gives us a method, and we follow it. If not, we find our own. Pablo's enemies had found their own method. And it was an ugly one. They had opened up a new war against him, striking from the shadows. Showing him that, even in his hometown, he wasn't safe.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Centra Spike was still busy gathering intel. The brass was still reviewing and approving it. And it was still finding its way to us. But shit man, you can have all the intelligence in the world, but if nobody's there to act on it, what's it worth? Nothing.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Colombia is a Catholic country, so Christmas is a big deal. But the people of Medellín always take it to the next level. And despite the manhunt for Pablo going on around them, this year was no different. Call it faith, optimism, or stubbornness, the people of Medellín thought they'd seen it all, but they hadn't. In fact, they hadn't seen anything yet.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Due to events in their fairly recent past, Germany had some of the softest immigration standards in Europe... If you had a pulse, they tended to let you in... Now maybe that was good for mankind, and it was certainly good for the Escobars... It was very bad for us.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] He put the city of Bogotá on edge, and the Colombian government on notice. Continue to ignore Los Pepes, refuse to acknowledge their crimes, and you're next. But terror brings more terror, and Los Pepes responded with their own special brand. We came up with a name for their displays. "Colombian folk art."Like I said, you can't make this shit up.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] The narcos always talk about loyalty - till their own asses are on the line.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] A guy who knew no bounds, no limits, had finally gone too far. He probably didn't know it then, or maybe he just couldn't accept it, but the end was coming for him. And it was about time.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] I read in a book somewhere about a rich guy goes broke. When he's asked how it happened, how he had lost everything, he answered: "Slowly at first. And then... all at once." For Pablo Escobar, "all at once" had finally come. His empire in shambles, his army all dead or in jail, Escobar did the one thing he could still do: a disappearing act.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Best way to make a bad story go away is to come up with a better story and sell it hard. This is one of the cornerstones of American foreign policy, and one we learned through years of trial and error in Latin America, Chile, Guatemala, Panama. Getting caught with your pants down sucks, but if at the same time you give the folks a big win, like, say, dismantling the second biggest drug cartel in the world, well, then nobody's paying attention to the bad story. They're too busy patting you on the back. Risky plan? Yes. But pressure will force you to take risks. It'll force you to do a lot of things.

Steve Murphy

[narrating] Look up "magical realism" in the dictionary, and it'll describe a literary style incorporating fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction. Colombia is where it began. And anyone who's spent real time here knows why. It's a place where the bizarre shakes hands with the inexplicable on a daily basis. But just like in the novels of Gabriel García Márquez, the weird shit usually pops off at certain critical moments. When the whole place is on edge. When everything's about to change.

Pablo Escobar

Those shitty oligarchs. Those people, all of their lives don't know what it's like to wonder where their next meal is coming from. I come from nothing, Valeria and I have more money than any of those sons of bitches.

If you run for Congress, you put yourself in the public eye, you become a target. "I made my money from taxis" isn't going to work when you face the press. Pablo, you need a party that supports you. You need a proper political campaign.

Escobar

I buy the press, my love. And as far as a political party, I am quite sure that I can buy one of those as well. I don't want to be good. I am going to be great. A PAISA ROBIN HOOD.

Steve Murphy

[voiceover] A drug dealer running for president. It was crazy, right? Well, not in Colombia. Not in the mid-'80s. As far as Colombians go, Pablo wasn't a drug dealer at all. He was a fucking winner. The living embodiment of the Colombian dream. The guy who'd buy houses for the poor in exchange for nothing. As far as Pablo could tell, the doors to political success were there and all he had to do was to get to them.

Steve Murphy

[voiceover] Rodrigo Lara became the most important political figure in Colombia with his stand against the narcos. He just wouldn't stop going after them. His bravery in the face of danger made him the most wanted man in the country. For his own safety, he was appointed Colombian ambassador to Czechoslovakia. He was slated to leave in two weeks, but a lot could happen in two weeks. [to Rodrigo Lara] I think it might be a good idea for you to wear this [refers to flak vest] until you leave.

You feel responsible, is that it?

Murphy

Somewhat, yes, sir.

Are you so arrogant to think you had any influence over my actions? That I put my life and the life of my family at risk for American policy objectives? Let me assure you, Agent Murphy, outside of providing me with the picture, you did nothing. The decision to speak out was solely mine.

Murphy

And I highly advise you to wear this vest, sir.

I will accept this vest out of respect for your concern with my well-being. But I would advise you one thing while you remain in Colombia.

Murphy

And what is that?

We accept your help, but never your condescension. When all this is over, Colombians will be the heroes, and the victims. John Wayne only exists in Hollywood.

Murphy

Just wear the vest.

Horacio Carrillo

Extradition doesn't mean anything unless you can catch him.

Steve Murphy

With our help, you will.

Carrillo

Oh, that's right. Gringos to the rescue.

Murphy

It's one fucking man against the United States of America.

Carrillo

One man with helicopters, airplanes, vehicles, planned escape routes - and a network of informants.

Murphy

Our government will provide money, men, weapons.

Carrillo

You make it sound so easy. But Escobar has always managed to stay one step ahead of us.

Murphy

Help us catch him.

Carrillo

I'll never be assigned to this. Jaramillo hates my guts.

Murphy

Let me take care of that.

Carrillo

You think extradition's a victory.

Murphy

It is.

Carrillo

Escobar will not go lightly. He will make Colombia bleed.

Pablo Escobar

What good is having all the money in the world if you can't go home? If we go back I'm going to have to fight.

Do whatever is necessary, my love.

Steve Murphy

[voiceover] So, there it was. The decision that would change Colombia forever.