This I know. It will always adjust. This will never end. There will be other partners and more drugs. But what about you? What will happen to you? You can't tell me you're going to retire, as if this was any normal business. You know this is a way of life. It retires you when it's done with you.
[inter-governmental meeting] According to our intelligence, Gilberto Rodríguez was a stabilizing influence on the cartel. His arrest may lead to an increased violence against civilians and police. No doubt the cartel leaders are now in hiding, and their security apparatus is operating in a state of high alert. So the only thing we can be certain of is that any further operation against the cartel will be both very difficult and extremely dangerous.
We appreciate the volatility of the situation, General.
VVargas
Well, in that case, I will turn things over to the man who's responsible for this situation. Maybe he can walk us through his path to victory. So Agent Peña, what comes next? The floor is yours...
[narrating] The Cali cartel is an almost-perfect organism. Even though we had cut off its head, the body kept right on going, making and selling cocaine. They stuck to the plan. And for a long time, that plan had worked for them. But no plan is perfect. Especially when you deal with a substance as volatile as cocaine. At some point you're gonna make a mistake. And your enemies are watching and waiting. They're gonna see your weakness and make a move. See, that's the thing about plans. No matter how perfect you think they are, however brilliant or audacious they may be, [large explosion and fire] well, they can still go to shit when that one thing goes wrong.
[narrating] Things don't always go according to plan. You can use every hope and prayer you have, take your shot, and everything still goes to shit. And when that happens, it's almost like you never had a plan at all. That's when people get desperate. And things get dangerous.
[narrating] Now why would a Cali godfather come out of hiding and risk getting captured? Because what good is being the king if nobody knows it? The biggest thing to come out of Cali wasn't cocaine. It was salsa.
[Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela reflects on the North Valley gang attacking at the Salsa Festival and nearly killing him]
MRMiguel Rodríguez Orejuela
Their intentions were clear. They saw us as vulnerable without Gilberto. Weak, with me in charge. They are trying to destroy us. Take what's ours. I... All of us know there's only one appropriate response to this. One way to react against these people who want to take everything from us, what we've worked so hard to build. War.
On the road from Galilee, Christ came upon a beggar who had thrice been denied alms. Christ asked him if he'd taken before that which wasn't his."Yes," the man said. He'd taken what he felt hadn't been given. Christ asked him... [clears throat, speaking louder] Christ asked him where had it left him... [gunshots outside]
[parishioners rapidly draw their guns and run outside]
[narrating] Cocaine cartels are about succession. The number two guys realize that the number one guys are on their way out. So they decide to speed things up. With Gilberto Rodríguez in jail, there was blood in the water. And blood begets more blood. I told you that Cali ran their empire like a business. Well, when your business gets too big, you start selling franchises. Cali basically allowed traffickers who would normally be their rivals to work under the umbrella of their political protection. To use their cocaine distribution network and to take advantage of their muscle when shit got heavy. In return, they demanded loyalty and a hefty cut of the profits. And for a long time, that was cool. But, as brilliant as Cali's surrender plan was, it didn't take into account that nobody wants to retire in second place.
[narrating] War make for strange alliances, putting you into business with people that, under other circumstances, you wouldn't even shake hands with. The same is true of your enemies. They will unite when they need to.
[narrating] In law enforcement, your only real power comes the strength of the system you represent. You gotta believe it has your back. But sometimes... Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it's so compromised, so corrupt, that you can't trust it. What do you do then? When it tries to play you? You for a way to play it right back.
