The people in Colombia are horrified about the bombing of Avianca's plane. But they're also against American soldiers on our soil and spy planes intercepting calls, so-
DDEA Agent
America doesn't intercept civilian phone calls. That's absurd.
Steve Murphy
Presidente, you need additional resources to get this man.
GGaviria
Well your government's research says 660 tons of cocaine were consumed in the United States last year. Perhaps if your resources were focused at home, we'd all be better off.
Murphy
[voiceover] Gaviria made good on his promise to go after Escobar. Colonel Carrillo's Search Bloc was set loose with a vengeance. Carrillo mounted dozens of raids. But with an army of informants, Escobar somehow always got away. We sat on the sidelines, hands tied by bureaucracy. In response, Pablo took his narco-terrorism to a whole new level with a bombing campaign that would shake the country to its foundations. In doing his best to avoid war, that's exactly what Gaviria got. And the toll on both sides was devastating. The thing about war is it's just bad for business. And when you got a bull's-eye on your back, your rivals get bold.
I think we should reorganize a bit and start sending our boys out to burn some houses down and do some damage to politicians and senators all over the country. And to the soldiers and cops in our way, the judges who annoy us and the reporters that watch us, basically, we have to create a presence so disruptive they'll want nothing but peace. That's the only way we're going to get there.
GGaviria
Is that it? Is that what you want? A civil war? You've gone crazy, asshole.
[sighs] Nor do I. But the bombs make the public want peace. And that will influence the politicians.
GGaviria
You're the one who says the politicians don't give a shit about the public. If you want to influence politicians, you'll have to narrow your focus. You know what I mean?
Steve Murphy
[voiceover] Gustavo was right. They needed a new strategy, one that brought terror directly to the people that mattered the most.
You want Escobar. Why? Why? Because you want to parade him in your DEA jackets? You think this is a game, right? This is Colombia, and our people want peace! This is not a fucking game!
[voiceover] As part of Escobar's surrender deal, Search Bloc was disbanded, and Colonel Carrillo was transferred out of the country. For the time being, Carrillo's war was over.
Jail? I know you gringos aren't allowed to do flyovers, but um I got some photographs, courtesy of the Colombian military. [shows pictures] I want you to look at 'em, tell me if this qualifies as a jail.
Escobar is moving more coke than ever. Without the Colombian government breathing down his neck, all he's gotta worry about is the Cali cartel. Let's face it, fellas, he won.
[narrating] Imagine this, President of Colombia goes on TV and tells the whole world he'll never make a deal with you. Now a normal person thinks, "I'm fucked." But Pablo Escobar, he thinks that's just your opening offer. So the man finds a way to respond. And how did Gaviria take Pablo's offer? I think it's safe to say that he didn't really care for it. But it wasn't just Gaviria Pablo was talking to. In his mind, he was also negotiating with the leader of the free world.
[to interviewer] It turns out that my problem turned into a political problem. It appears that I am very important to the re-election of the President of the United States.
Murphy
[narrating] You see, the problem was, George Bush had his own plans for Escobar.
GHGeorge H.W. Bush
[in his famous address to the nation] We will, for the first time, make available the appropriate resources of America's armed forces. And for the drug kingpins, the death penalty.
Murphy
And with a Commander-in-Chief who used to be the head of the CIA - well, you can use your imagination as to what "appropriate resources" might mean.
I'm writing a letter to the editors of the most important newspapers to tell them how that boy came to me, scared for his life. The world has to know what sort of monster that son of a bitch Carrillo is!
[narrating] All that time hunting him and just like that, I'm looking down at Pablo fucking Escobar. For years I'd been building this son of a bitch up in my head. What a monster he'd be. [chuckles] But here's the thing, when you lay eyes on him, the devil's a real letdown. Just a man. Beard grows if he doesn't shave. Fat and shoeless. You take a good long look at evil, and it reminds you of one-
TTrujillo
[steps in and shoots Pablo one more time] Long live Colombia!
Narcos · 112 quotes
Steve Murphy
