# Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord

Escobar: El Patrón del Mal (international title: Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord; also known as Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal) is a 2012 Colombian biographical TV series produced and broadcast on Caracol TV, based on a true story about the life of Pablo Escobar – the notorious druglord.

## History

From May 28 to November 1, 2012, Caracol TV aired Escobar: El Patrón del Mal weeknights at 9:30pm. From July 9 to 27, 2012, Telemundo aired one-hour episodes of Pablo Escobar weeknights at 10 pm/9c, replacing Decisiones Extremas. From July 30, 2012, to January 24, 2013, Telemundo aired half-hour episodes of Pablo Escobar and El Rostro de la Venganza weeknights, both sharing the 10 pm time slot. From January 25 onwards, one-hour episodes of El Rostro de la Venganza were broadcast.

## Plot

The series begins and ends with his dramatic last moments before being shot to death by agents of the National Police of Colombia, while escaping from a relative's home, and later flashing back to his childhood in Aburra Valley, Colombia, where Pablo is teased by his cousin, Gonzalo, and older brother, Peluche, on a footbridge crossing a creek, eventually rescued by his mother, who scolds Pablo for crying. His mother's influence on Escobar's life choices is portrayed in the first episode and throughout the series, starting with her admonishment that if he is going to do something bad, he had better do it really well, after he is frustrated while trying to cheat on a test and starting a class rebellion to avoid the consequences. As he and Gonzalo became older, they began their lives of organised crime, becoming bodyguards to a well known smuggler and eventually his partners, after successfully standing off with police in what would become Escobar's trademark "Plata o Plomo" approach to dealing with law enforcement – "accept our bribe or prepare for a shootout with us." After robbing a bank and being turned in by one of their neighbors, Pablo and his cousin start their careers as murderers by killing him.
Thereafter, the series follows Pablo's adventures and misadventures in organized crime and eventually cocaine smuggling, building an empire of wealthy criminals who contest power, often violently, with the Colombian state, eventually leading to murders of prominent politicians, policemen, business associates, friends, lovers, and eventually common citizens. The plot focuses on Escobar's contradictory drives to be a good husband; a decent, upstanding, Colombian citizen; a politician; a supporter of the poor; and a wealthy, powerful "bandido" (an endearing term for criminal, like "rascal"), all while seeking ever more political power, wealth, and sexual exploits.

## Cast

For the broadcast of the series, Caracol decided to change the real names of the characters and their aliases, although some resemblance was maintained between the physique of the characters and their aliases with the real people they played. The following tables show the names of the characters and actors, as well as the names of the real-life people they represent in the series.

### Pablo Escobar and his Family

| Actor | Role | Real character |
| Andrés Parra | Pablo Escobar | Pablo Escobar |
| Mauricio Mejía | Pablo Escobar (Young) | Pablo Escobar |
| Hernán Mauricio Ocampo | Pablo Escobar (Child) | Pablo Escobar |
| Cecilia Navia | Patricia Urrea de Escobar | María Victoria Henao Vallejo de Escobar |
| Eileen Moreno | Patricia Urrea (Young) | María Victoria Henao Vallejo de Escobar |
| Christian Tappan | Gonzalo Gaviria Rivero | Gustavo Gaviria Rivero |
| Juan Sebastián Calero | Gonzalo Gaviria (Young) | Gustavo Gaviria Rivero |
| Samuel Muñoz | Gonzalo Gaviria (Child) | Gustavo Gaviria Rivero |
| Vicky Hernández | Enelia Gaviria de Escobar | Hermilda Gaviria de Escobar |
| Linda Lucía Callejas | Enelia Gaviria (Young) | Hermilda Gaviria de Escobar |
| Hernán Méndez | Fidel Escobar | Abel Escobar |
| Rodolfo Silva | Alberto Escobar Gaviria "El Peluche" | Roberto Escobar Gaviria |
| Tommy Vásquez | Fabio Urrea | Mario Henao Vallejo [es] |
| Jorge Armando Soto | Fabio Urrea (Young) | Mario Henao Vallejo [es] |
| Sara Pinzón | Daniela Escobar Urrea | Manuela Escobar Henao |
| John Mirque | Emilio Escobar Urrea | Juan Pablo Escobar |
| Claudia Rocío Mora Hurtado | Maria Jose Escobar | Alba Marina Escobar |
| Francisco Bolívar | Primo Luis Escobar | Luis Fernando Escobar |

### Important members of the Medellín Cartel

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Juan Carlos Arango | Gustavo Ramírez Gacha «El Mariachi» | Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha |
| Alejandro Martínez | Marcos Herber | Carlos Lehder |
| Aldemar Correa | Julio Motoa | Fabio Ochoa Vásquez |
| Alejandro Gutiérrez | Germán Motoa | Juan David Ochoa Vásquez |
| Joavany Álvarez | Pedro Motoa | Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez |
| Andrea Gómez | Irma Nieves Motoa | Martha Nieves Ochoa |
| Andrés Felipe Martínez | Falcao Lopera | Diego Londoño White |
| Brian Moreno | Federico Ramírez | Freddy Rodríguez Celades |
| Carlos Benjumea | Julio Motoa Restrepo | Fabio Ochoa Restrepo |
| Carlos Hurtado | Crisanto Pérez | Evaristo Porras [es] |
| Héctor García | Guido Patarroyo | Guido Parra Montoya |
| Luces Velásquez | Graciela Rojas | Griselda Blanco |
| César Mora | Alfredo Gutiérrez «El Alguacil» | Alfredo Gómez López «Don Capone» |
| Rafael Lahera | Jorge Velasco «El Náufrago» | Jorge Velásquez «El navegante» |
| Sebastián Sánchez | Harry Beal «El Piloto» | Barry Seal |
| Andrés Echavarría Valencia | Hugo Hernán Valencia | Hugo Hernán Valencia |
| Juan Carlos Messier | Pablo Correa Arroyave | Pablo Correa Arroyave |

### Group of hitmen

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Andrés Felipe Torres | Dagoberto Ruíz «El Topo» | Mario Alberto Castaño Molina [es] «El Chopo» |
| Anderson Ballesteros | John Mario Ortiz «Chili» | John Jairo Arias «Pinina» |
| Carlos Mariño | Yeison Taborda «Marino» | John Jairo Velásquez «Popeye» |
| Jorge Monterrosa | Félix "El Suizo" | Alberto Prieto "El Suizo" |
| Julio Cesar Acevedo | Carlos Luis Arguelles «El Costra» | Juan Carlos Aguilar Gallego «El Mugre» |
| Andrés Soleibe | John Rivero Acosta «El Buitre» | Johnny Rivera Acosta «El Palomo»/Sergio Alfonso Ramírez «El Pájaro» |
| Emerson Yáñez | Jorge Elí Pabón «El Negro Pabón» | Jorge Elí Pabón «El Negro Pabón» |
| Julián Caicedo | Alias «El Candonga» | Carlos Mario Alzate [es] «El Arete» |
| Manuel Viveros | Daniel Muñoz Mosquera «Kiko» | Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera «La Quica» or «Kika» |
| John Alex Castillo | Caín Muñoz Mosquera «Caín» | Brances Alexander Muñoz Mosquera «Tyson» |
| Marcela Vargas | Mireya Ortíz | |

### Cali Cartel and Self-Defense Forces (PEPES)

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Andrés Restrepo | Hernando Arellano | Luis Fernando Galeano Berrío «El Negro» |
| Beto Arango | Libardo Aldana Morón «Don Libardo» | Diego Fernando Murillo «Don Berna» |
| Daniel Rocha | Gerardo Carrera Buitrago | Hélmer Herrera Buitrago |
| David Noreña | Lucio Moreno | Carlos Castaño Gil «El Comandante» |
| Fernando Arango | Mauricio Restrepo | Teodoro Mauricio Fino Restrepo «El Gaviota» / Luis Enrique Ramírez Murillo «Miki Ramírez» |
| Harold De Vasten | Gildardo González Orjuela | Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela |
| Hermes Camelo | José Santacruz Londoño | José Santacruz Londoño |
| Luis Ariel Martínez | Enrique Ramada | Gerardo Moncada |
| Ricardo Vesga | Evencio Díaz Rocha | Jaime Rueda [es] |
| Ricardo Vélez | Manuel González Orjuela | Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela |
| Weimar Delgado | Miguel Moreno | Fidel Castaño Gil «Rambo» |

### Members of the public force, judges and family members

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Carmenza Cossio | Jueza Magdalena Espinosa | Jueza Mariela Espinosa Arango |
| Gastón Velandia | Mayor Gregorio Aristides | Coronel Gregorio Sepúlveda |
| Julio Pachón | Coronel Jairo Jiménez Gómez | Coronel Jaime Ramírez Gómez |
| Carlos Kajú | Gonzalo Jiménez (hijo del coronel) | Javier Ramírez |
| Iván López | Subteniente Martín Pabón Bolívar | Mayor Hugo Martínez Bolívar Jr. |
| Iván Rodríguez | Coronel Hernando Navas Rivas | Coronel Hernando Navas Rubio |
| Jimmy Vásquez | Coronel Martín Pabón | General Hugo Martínez Poveda |
| Andrea Martinez | Teniente Carolina Ruiz | Teniente Carolina Ramírez |
| Jorge Herrera | Gonzalo Zuluaga Serna | Gustavo Zuluaga Serna |
| Juan Pablo Franco | General Muriel Peraza | General Miguel Maza Márquez |
| Julio Correal | Tomás Pereira | Jacobo Torregrosa |
| Leonardo Acosta | General Manuel Ulloa | General Miguel Gómez Padilla [es] |
| Luis Fernando Montoya | Coronel Ramiro Becerra | Coronel Danilo González |
| Luis Fernando Múnera | Coronel Pedregal | Coronel Flavio Acosta |
| Mario Ruiz | Mayor Hugo Aguirre | Coronel Hugo Aguilar |
| Margarita Durán | Leonor Cruz de Quintana | Leonor Cruz de Franklín |
| Mauricio Figueroa | Coronel Oswaldo Quintana Quintero | Coronel Valdemar Franklin Quintero |
| Juan David Restrepo | Oswaldo Quintana Cruz | Carlos Franklin Cruz |
| Saín Castro | Coronel Oscar Fernández Carmona | General Oscar Peláez Carmona |
| Yesenia Valencia | Natalia de Jiménez | Helena de Ramírez |

### Government and press members

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Angie Cepeda | Regina Parejo | Virginia Vallejo |
| Andrés Aramburo | Mariano Santana | Juan Manuel Santos |
| Andrés Ogilvie | Andrés Pastrana | Andrés Pastrana |
| Armando Gutiérrez | Yamid Amat | Yamid Amat |
| Carlos Manuel Vesga | Carlos Mauro Hoyos | Carlos Mauro Hoyos |
| Ernesto Benjumea | Rodrigo Lara Bonilla | Rodrigo Lara Bonilla |
| Fabián Mendoza | César Gaviria Trujillo | César Gaviria Trujillo |
| Marilyn Patiño | Paula Jaramillo | Paula Jaramillo |
| Diana Hoyos | Nancy Restrepo de Lara | Nancy Restrepo de Lara |
| Felix Antequera | Ernesto Chacón | Enrique Parejo González |
| Santiago Soto | Fernando Cano Busquets | Fernando Cano Busquets |
| Germán Quintero | Guillermo Cano Isaza | Guillermo Cano Isaza |
| Guillermo Villa | Alfonso Reyes Echandía | Alfonso Reyes Echandía |
| Fabio Restrepo | Javier Ortiz | Jairo Ortega Ramírez |
| Gustavo Angarita Jr | Alberto Villamizar Cárdenas | Alberto Villamizar Cárdenas |
| Gustavo Ángel | Fernán Santana | Francisco Santos Calderón |
| Helena Mallarino | Ana María Busquets de Cano [es] | Ana María Busquets de Cano [es] |
| Jacqueline Arenal | Maruja Pachón de Villamizar | Maruja Pachón de Villamizar |
| Jacques Toukhmanian | Ismael Giraldo | Rafael Pardo |
| Jaime Barbini | Silvio De La Cruz | Belisario Betancur |
| Jaime Santos | Alfonso López Michelsen | Alfonso López Michelsen |
| Jorge Emilio Zuñiga | Ramiro Vargas | Virgilio Barco |
| Juan Ángel | «El Nene» | «El Nene» |
| Judy Henríquez | Carmiña Bedoya | Marina Montoya |
| Liesel Potdevin | Diana Turbay | Diana Turbay |
| Liliana González de la Torre | Azucena Liévano | Azucena Liévano |
| Luis Fernando Orozco | Daniel Bedoya | Germán Montoya Velez [es] |
| Nicolás Montero | Luis Carlos Galán | Luis Carlos Galán |
| Marcela Gallego | Gloria Pachón de Galán | Gloria Pachón de Galán |
| Marcela Valencia | Beatriz Villamizar de Guerrero | Beatriz Villamizar de Guerrero |
| María Angélica Mallarino | Nydia Quintero Turbay | Nydia Quintero Turbay |
| Pedro Mogollón | Hernán Santana Castillo | Hernando Santos Castillo [es] |
| Pedro Roda | Juan Guillermo Cano | Juan Guillermo Cano |
| Susana Torres | Niki Polanía Durán | María Jimena Duzán |
| Toto Vega | Alonso Santorini | Alberto Santofimio |
| Víctor Hugo Morant | Julio César Turbay | Julio César Turbay |
| Víctor Hugo Ruiz | Fernando Uribe Restrepo | Fernando Uribe Restrepo |

### Left leaders and other characters

| Actor | Role | Real Character |
| Diana Neira | Yesenia Saldarriaga | Wendy Chavarriaga Gil |
| Fabio Rubiano | Marco Navia Wolff | Antonio Navarro Wolff |
| Fernando Corredor | Padre Rafael Gómez Herrera | Padre Rafael García Herreros |
| Orlando Valenzuela | Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa | Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa |
| Nacho Hijuelos | Fayad Dager Jazbún | Alberto Jubiz Jazbún |
| Rosmery Cárdenas | Mariela Barragán de Jaramillo | Mariela Barragán de Jaramillo |
| Tiberio Cruz | Diego Pizano Leongómez | Carlos Pizarro Leongómez |
| Tatiana Rentería | Nina Pizano Leongómez | Nina Pizarro Leongómez |
| Alejandra Chamorro | María Luna | Lina María García |
| Hernán Cabiativa | Fabrizzio Romero | Iván Marino Ospina |

## Colombia broadcast

* Release dates and episode names, based on Colombia's Caracol TV broadcast.
| Air Date | Rating | Episode Title | Episode |
| May 28, 2012 | 26.9 | "Enelia le da sus primeros consejos a Pablo"1 | 01 |
| May 29, 2012 | 26.7 | "Pablo comienza a jugar con candela"2 | 02 |
| May 30, 2012 | 23.0 | "Pablo Escobar huye de la cárcel" | 03 |
| May 31, 2012 | 23.5 | "Pablo se entrega a las autoridades" | 04 |
| June 1, 2012 | 21.4 | "Pablo y Gonzalo inauguran la hacienda 'Nápoles | 05 |
| June 4, 2012 | 24.1 | "Una nueva fuerza armada nace" | 06 |
| June 5, 2012 | 21.5 | "Pablo Escobar tiene su primer encuentro con la política" | 07 |
| June 6, 2012 | 22.3 | "Pablo Escobar quiere ser miembro del Congreso de la república" | 08 |
| June 7, 2012 | 23.4 | "Paty por poco descubre las andanzas de Pablo" | 09 |
| June 8, 2012 | 18.6 | "A Escobar se le facilita su incursión en la política" | 10 |
| June 12, 2012 | 21.6 | "Regina Parejo aparece en la vida de Pablo Escobar" | 11 |
| June 13, 2012 | 19.0 | "Escobar es elegido como 'honorable' representante a la Cámara" | 12 |
| June 14, 2012 | 19.3 | "Escobar busca ser el 'Robin Hood criollo | 13 |
| June 15, 2012 | 15.8 | "Un duro debate pone en jaque a Rodrigo Lara" | 14 |
| June 19, 2012 | 16.9 | "Galán le pide una explicación a Lara" | 15 |
| June 20, 2012 | 15.5 | "El Ministro sorprende al país con sus declaraciones" | 16 |
| June 21, 2012 | 17.3 | "La Policía desmantela Tranquilandia" | 17 |
| June 22, 2012 | 15.5 | "Pablo Escobar emprende su venganza" | 18 |
| June 25, 2012 | 16.8 | "Atentado acaba con la vida de Rodrigo Lara" | 19 |
| June 26, 2012 | 17.7 | "El magnicidio de Lara causa conmoción en el país" | 20 |
| June 27, 2012 | 16.1 | "Tras las huellas de los criminales" | 21 |
| June 28, 2012 | 15.7 | "Pablo y Gonzalo llegan a Panamá" | 22 |
| June 29, 2012 | 12.6 | "Escobar no se sale con la suya" | 23 |
| July 3, 2012 | 15.9 | "En busca de 'protección' y aliados" | 24 |
| July 4, 2012 | 13.8 | "A Escobar sus propios hombres lo empiezan a traicionar" | 25 |
| July 5, 2012 | 14.9 | "Prueba reina definiría la extradición" | 26 |
| July 6, 2012 | 13.5 | "El MR-2O ejecuta la Toma del Palacio de Justicia" | 27 |
| July 9, 2012 | 15.1 | "Ola de terror en contra de jueces" | 28 |
| July 10, 2012 | 15.2 | "La Policía, tras las huellas de Herber" | 29 |
| July 11, 2012 | 16.1 | "Asesinan al Magistrado Zuluaga" | 30 |
| July 12, 2012 | 17.8 | "Jiménez se protege ante las amenazas" | 31 |
| July 13, 2012 | 13.4 | "Declaran inexequible la extradición" | 32 |
| July 16, 2012 | 14.5 | Los extraditables' buscan la manera de ser juzgados en Colombia" | 32 |
| July 17, 2012 | 15.8 | "En busca de la prueba reina" | 34 |
| July 18, 2012 | 15.3 | "Atentan contra el corresponsal de El Espectador" | 35 |
| July 19, 2012 | 13.6 | "El Coronel Jiménez corre peligro" | 36 |
| July 23, 2012 | 14.2 | "Muere vilmente el Coronel Jiménez" | 37 |
| July 24, 2012 | 15.6 | "El país, horrorizado con la muerte del Coronel Jiménez" | 38 |
| July 25, 2012 | 14.0 | "La Policía inspecciona la Hacienda Nápoles" | 39 |
| July 26, 2012 | 14.1 | "La vida de Cano está en peligro" | 40 |
| July 27, 2012 | 13.8 | "Guillermo Cano es asesinado" | 41 |
| July 30, 2012 | 14.9 | "El país llora la muerte de Cano" | 42 |
| July 31, 2012 | 13.6 | "La prensa rechaza el asesinato de Cano" | 43 |
| August 1, 2012 | 13.7 | "La maldad de Escobar traspasa fronteras" | 44 |
| August 2, 2012 | 13.8 | "Escobar quiere asesinar a Herber" | 45 |
| August 3, 2012 | 11.5 | "A Escobar le conviene tener vivo a Herber" | 46 |
| August 6, 2012 | 11.8 | "Marcos Herber es capturado por la Policía" | 47 |
| August 8, 2012 | 13.2 | "Escobar burla a las autoridades" | 48 |
| August 9, 2012 | 13.0 | "Escobar 'vende' a sus propios hombres" | 49 |
| August 10, 2012 | 11.8 | "Mauricio, muy cerca de descubrir la traición de Pablo" | 50 |
| August 13, 2012 | 14.1 | "Escobar le entrega un 'falso positivo' a Pedregal" | 51 |
| August 14, 2012 | 13.5 | "Escobar anuncia una nueva guerra" | 52 |
| August 15, 2012 | 13.4 | "Explotan petardos en Drogas El Rebajón" | 53 |
| August 16, 2012 | 12.5 | "Pedro Motoa es detenido" | 54 |
| August 17, 2012 | 12.6 | "El Cartel de Cali prepara un atentado contra Escobar" | 55 |
| August 21, 2012 | 13.1 | "El 'Marino' asesina a Yesenia" | 56 |
| August 22, 2012 | 13.5 | "Motoa es dejado en libertad" | 57 |
| August 23, 2012 | 13.2 | "Atentan contra Pablo Escobar y su familia" | 58 |
| August 24, 2012 | 13.7 | "Escobar no deja que su cabeza tenga precio" | 59 |
| August 27, 2012 | 13.8 | "Secuestran a Andrés Pastrana" | 60 |
| August 28, 2012 | 13.9 | "Escobar le da la cara a Pastrana" | 61 |
| August 29, 2012 | 12.3 | "La guerra se recrudece entre el Estado y los narcos" | 62 |
| August 30, 2012 | 13.8 | "Anuncian el asesinato del Procurador General de la Nación" | 63 |
| August 31, 2012 | 12.4 | "La furia y los celos, los peores enemigos de Escobar" | 64 |
| September 3, 2012 | 14.1 | "Pablo Escobar desata toda su ira" | 65 |
| September 4, 2012 | 13.4 | "El 'Mariachi' prepara un plan siniestro" | 66 |
| September 5, 2012 | 12.9 | "Nuevas víctimas del terror de Pablo Escobar" | 67 |
| September 6, 2012 | 13.2 | "El Coronel Quintana no tiene salida" | 68 |
| September 7, 2012 | 11.6 | "El Coronel Quintana es asesinado" | 69 |
| September 10, 2012 | 13.7 | "Pese a las advertencias, Galán decide ir a Soacha" | 70 |
| September 12, 2012 | 13.0 | "El crimen que hizo reaccionar al país" | 71 |
| September 13, 2012 | 12.6 | "El país se conmociona con la pérdida de este valiente" | 72 |
| September 14, 2012 | 12.1 | "El Gobierno se compromete a dar con los asesinos" | 73 |
| September 17, 2012 | 12.7 | "Ana María Cano busca la seguridad de El Espectador" | 74 |
| September 18, 2012 | 13.5 | "Atentan contra El Espectador" | 75 |
| September 19, 2012 | 12.3 | "El Espectador sigue adelante" | 76 |
| September 20, 2012 | 14.3 | "Cae el primer miembro de la familia de Escobar" | 77 |
| September 21, 2012 | 12.4 | "Escobar ordena dos grandes atentados" | 78 |
| September 24, 2012 | 14.1 | "Peraza recibe un sobre bomba" | 79 |
| September 25, 2012 | 12.6 | "Un cruel y atroz atentado conmociona a Colombia" | 80 |
| September 26, 2012 | 13.4 | "Atentan contra el edificio del DAI" | 81 |
| September 27, 2012 | 12.6 | "El 'narcoterrorismo' no triunfará" | 82 |
| September 28, 2012 | 10.9 | "El grupo élite, tras las huellas del 'Mariachi | 83 |
| October 1, 2012 | 14.9 | "El Grupo élite y el 'Mariachi' se enfrentan" | 84 |
| October 2, 2012 | 15.9 | "Las autoridades dan de baja al 'Mariachi | 85 |
| October 3, 2012 | 13.2 | "Escobar envía un mensaje al Gobierno" | 86 |
| October 4, 2012 | 13.6 | Los extraditables' aceptan el llamado de paz" | 87 |
| October 5, 2012 | 12.0 | "Cancelan las negociaciones de paz" | 88 |
| October 8, 2012 | 13.9 | "Escobar le pone precio a los policías" | 89 |
| October 9, 2012 | 13.4 | "Cae otro candidato presidencial" | 90 |
| October 10, 2012 | 15.4 | "Escobar emprende la guerra contra Pabón" | 91 |
| October 11, 2012 | 13.9 | "Escobar revela las intenciones de las Autodefensas" | 92 |
| October 17, 2012 | 14.6 | "Atentan contra Pizano" | 93 |
| October 18, 2012 | 14.7 | "Pabón recibe una 'jugosa' propuesta" | 94 |
| October 19, 2012 | 14.2 | "Cae el 'Chili', la mano derecha de Escobar" | 95 |
| October 22, 2012 | 15.7 | "Las autoridades, cada vez más cerca de Escobar" | 96 |
| October 23, 2012 | 13.8 | "Escobar se enferma de paludismo" | 97 |
| October 24, 2012 | 12.7 | "Gonzalo Gaviria cae en enfrentamiento con el Grupo élite" | 98 |
| October 25, 2012 | 14.5 | "Diana Turbay cae en las garras de Pablo Escobar" | 99 |
| October 26, 2012 | 12.2 | "Turbay es secuestrada por orden de Escobar" | 100 |
| October 29, 2012 | 13.5 | "Maruja y Berenice, víctimas del 'patrón del mal'" | 101 |
| October 30, 2012 | 13.7 | "Los Motoa están pensando en entregarse" | 102 |
| October 31, 2012 | 12.2 | "Diana Turbay muere en su rescate" | 103 |
| November 1, 2012 | 11.9 | "Un sacerdote será intermediario para la paz" | 104 |
| November 2, 2012 | 11.5 | "Escobar planea entregarse" | 105 |
| November 6, 2012 | 12.0 | "Escobar se entrega a las autoridades" | 106 |
| November 7, 2012 | 13.3 | "El Cartel de Cali quiere 'negociar' con Escobar" | 107 |
| November 8, 2012 | 12.6 | "Escobar sigue delinquiendo desde La Catedral" | 108 |
| November 9, 2012 | 11.8 | "El Gobierno autoriza la creación de un Bloque de Búsqueda" | 109 |
| November 13, 2012 | 12.1 | "Muere 'Caín', otro hombre de Pablo Escobar" | 110 |
| November 15, 2012 | 12.6 | "Caen poco a poco los hombres de Pablo Escobar" | 111 |
| November 16, 2012 | 12.8 | "'Los pepes' atentan contra la familia Escobar" | 112 |
| November 19, 2012 | 17.0 | "La muerte de Pablo Escobar" | 113 |

## Production

The series was created by Camilo Cano and Juana Uribe, vice president of Caracol TV and the series' producer. Cano's father, Guillermo Cano, who was publisher of newspaper El Espectador, was murdered by Escobar in December 1986. Uribe's mother, Maruja Pachón, was kidnapped on Escobar's orders, and her uncle, presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán, was killed on Escobar's orders in August 1989.
According to Caracol TV, the series features 1,300 actors and more than 450 locations; each episode cost COP 300 million (€131,000, £105,000 or US$164,000).

## Reception

After heavy promotion on Caracol TV and in El Espectador, Escobar premiered with high ratings. However, some people have criticized the show, wondering if the audience will eventually identify with the drug lord instead of the people who fought him. A researcher, prior to the release of the show, opined to Medellín newspaper El Colombiano that the series will not add anything to TV "because its treatment is not a documentary" and it does not address "rigorous academic research. The model is fiction and the victims' participation won't be anything more than an anecdote. On the contrary, this kind of series eventually distorts knowledge about history in public opinion."
Telemundo's July 9 broadcast of Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal averaged nearly 2.2 million viewers.

### Historical accuracy

There are several mistakes that are made in the series, set in the 1980s and 1990s, some of them for example:

#### Facts and timeline

* The legal details of the extradition treaty and the Supreme Court rulings are different on several occasions.
* Before Pablo Correa (real name Ramiro Arturo Correa Arroyave) was killed in July 1986, José Pablo Correa Ramos, a sports leader with possible cartel ties, was first killed in February, possibly so as to simulate his death. In 1984 Pablo Escobar possibly had another Pablo Correa Arroyave killed.
* "La Quica" and "Tyson" were probably arrested in July 1987, later than Carlos Lehder (February 1987). They probably escaped in August 1988, not in 1987. Allegedly, there was another helicopter escape in Medellín in December 1988.
* According to "Popeye", Wendy Chavarriaga Gil was not poor and was planning on taking revenge on Escobar for her forced abortion by informing on him. She was also not killed by "Popeye" himself.
* In reality, the bombing of the Monaco building (January 13, 1988) happened before the bombing of the Cali farmacies (February 18, 1988 and later).
* Jorge Elí Pabón was killed in Panama because of a drug related vendetta, not by the police.
* Escobar's birthday was on December 1 and the bombing of Avianca Flight 203 was on November 27, 1989. In the series, they show Escobar's 40th birthday first, when in reality the bombing happened first.
* In the series, it is shown that the surrender of "Candonga" and the death of "El Topo" happen at the same time, when in reality there is a difference of two months between both events.
* The capture of "Kiko", in real life Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera, alias "la Quica", in the series appears as if it had occurred in October 1992, after the death of his brother "Caín". In real life, Brances Alexander Muñoz Mosquera, alias "Tyson" was killed by the authorities on October 28, 1992, and the capture of Dandenys Muñoz was on September 25, 1991.
* "Kiko" is shown murdering relatives of the brothers of Henrique Ramada and Gerardo Arellano. This happened in July 1992 and at that time "la Quica" was already in prison in New York.
* 'El Buitre' (Johnny Rivera "El Palomo"), did not surrender to the army, as shown in the series, but was killed by them in November 1992, but his character merged with Serio Ramírez 'El Pájaro' shows him surrendering to the Bloque.
* According to witnesses, Escobar and his hitmen flee from La Catedral after kicking a wall stuck with plaster. In the series, they cut a fence to escape. In addition, the 1992 Colombian energy crisis is omitted, which also facilitates the escape from La Catedral.
* Other victims of the Cartel were also ignored, such as police captain Luis Alfredo Macana, the director of the Occidente de Cali newspaper Raúl Echavarría Barrientos, the journalist and news presenter Jorge Enrique Pulido, Captain Carlos Fernando Hoyos and Lizandro Ospina Baraya, grandson of President Mariano Ospina. Neither when Rodolfo Ospina Baraya 'Chapulín' (Lizandro's brother) and his participation in the PEPES.
* The murder of Wendy Chavarriaga (Yesenia in the TV series) at the hands of 'Popeye' (El Marino in the series) took place in 1992 during Pablo Escobar's war against the PEPES. In the series, the event takes place in 1987.

#### Technology, anachronisms and other details

* When "Chili" kills Colonel Jimenez with a bomb, it is observed that the hitman's vehicle has a "Pico y placa" sticker, a measure imposed since 1998 by Enrique Peñalosa as mayor of Bogotá.
* In Emilio's room (Juan Pablo Escobar) there's an Xbox 360 controller guitar when this console did not exist back then.
* In the Rodríguez Orejuela house, where a air conditioning split is shown that did not exist at the time.
* In the second episode of the series, when Escobar arrives in Cali with his girlfriend, the tail of a Lan Airlines plane appears with the design that the company implemented in the 2000s.
* When "Chili" and "Topo" go to kill the colonel in the town, they are buying a Shaved ice in the park, right on the table there is an electric shaved ice making machine and at that time there were only wheelbarrows and the machines were manual.
* In one of the scenes where hitmen are doing intelligence in an empanada stand and talk about assassinating Colonel Jiménez with a rocket, while they watch his vehicle pass by, a calendar dated in the year 2012 is seen.
* When Pablo Escobar meets with Senator Santorini in a store in Medellín, it is seen that the display case offers yogurt brands (like Regeneris) that did not exist at that time.
* When Rodrigo Lara Bonilla is playing soccer in the yard of his house, there's a ball used is the same one used in the Champions League, a competition that began in 1992 although the scene was set in 1984.
* In episode 52, set in 1989, during a scene in the newspaper El Espectador, an employee works with Windows XP on his computer, when this operating system was launched on the market in 2001.
* In a scene recreated on September 19, 1990, the kidnapping of Dr. Bedoya's sister is presented, where one of the kidnappers is dressed in a shirt that shows Goldberg as a wrestling figure, although at that time Goldberg was playing American football for the Los Angeles Rams, since he was selected that same year and made his wrestling debut in June 1997.
* In several scenes with cars and trucks, there are modern accessories that do not correspond to the period, for example LED auxiliary lights.
* There is a scene set in 1989 where the hitman "El Buitre" is seen wearing a shirt from the rock group White Zombie, a band that became famous in the mid-90s.
* There is a scene where Candonga is smoking an electronic cigarette.
* The US dollar bills that are manipulated by the drug gangs correspond to series put into effect from 1996.
* The Chevrolet Trooper vehicles were assembled by Colmotores-Colombia from 1988, therefore they did not exist in previous years.
* Images of Panama City are shown with buildings built later.
* When Escobar is in the jungle in 1990, escaping from Colonel Pabón and Colonel Aguirre's army, he wakes up his companions because of a goal scored by Deportivo Independiente Medellín by Pato Aguilera, who played for Genoa at the time.
* In a scene set in 1990, in which the Motoa brothers pretend to be cyclists, a Renault Twingo model car appears, a model that was not sold in Colombia until 1995.
* In the last chapters, the members of the search group appear armed with Galil ACE rifles; however, these rifles began to be manufactured by INDUMIL in 2010.
* In episode 2, a Bajaj CT 100 motorcycle can be seen when Pablo arrives in the neighborhood and is admired by the young people, since said motorcycle began production in 2001.
* Several police stations have the logo of the Mexican police and not that of the National Police of Colombia.
* During the delivery of houses in the neighborhood that Pablo Escobar builds in Medellín, in the speech there is a ranch in the background that has a satellite TV antenna, technology that was not common at the time.
Many jeeps in show have aero wipers

## Awards

Confirmed on June 27, 2013. The finalists were announced on July 31, 2013. Winners were announced on August 15, 2013.
Premios tu mundo 2013 :
| Category | Nominee | Result |
| Novela of the Year | Pablo Escobar, El Patrón del Mal | Nominated |
| Favorite Lead Actor | Andrés Parra | Nominated |
| Best Bad Luck Moment | Pablo is discovered | Nominated |