Manuela was trained to run long distances before she could walk. Her life was nothing short of a marathon, as she was the daughter to a notorious Columbian drug dealer. She went through so much in her life, that it was almost impossible to imagine what she would go through.
She was a spoilt little girl, who received expensive gifts for her birthdays. She was a tiny little girl who had all of the luxury and lavishness of the world in her hands.
Manuela Escobar, who was nine years old when Pablo Escobar died in 1993, was still a child. Manuela Escobar wasn’t accused of any crime but the shadows of her father’s brutality left a permanent mark on her life. In the 1990s, she disappeared from the spotlight.
This is everything you need to know about Manuela Escobar’s life. Continue scrolling!
Manuela Escobar: Everything You Need to Know
Early life
Manuela Escobar was born May 25, 1984 in Colombia, as the daughter of Pablo Escobar (and his wife Maria Victoria Henao). Her father was one of the most powerful drug kingpins in the world at that time. Manuela, the younger sister to Juan Pablo was born in 1977.
Also, see Maria Victoria Henao’s Story: Pablo Escobar’s Wife
Manuela didn’t know what her father was doing as a child. However, she did know that was a man who could make Manuela smile.
Pablo Escobar was a terror-monster in the city, but he still had love for his daughter. According to ati, Pablo was able to earn as much as $70,000,000 per day at the height of his power. This means that he can buy whatever his daughter wants.
Manuela Escobar asked her father to buy a unicorn. According to one report, the drug kingpin ordered his team buy a white horse and put wings and horns on it. He was well aware that unicorns were not real. Later, the animal died from an infection.
Pablo Escobar did all he could to ensure his daughter’s safety. According to reports, Escobar burned $2 million of currency while his family was hiding in Colombia’s mountains to prevent arrest in the early 1990s.
Pablo Escobar’s Death
Pablo quickly realized that the safety of his family members was not possible if they stayed together, so he ordered Maria Victoria Henao to seek refuge in a safe place under the protection government.
Nearly every Columbian knew about Pablo Escobar’s tragic demise. Their family began a new chapter in their lives after Pablo Escobar’s death.
Manuela Escobar, Juan Pablo Escobar’s brother, and Maria Victoria Henao, Manuela Escobar fled Colombia immediately after his murder. They were denied asylum in any country. They even reached out to the Vatican for assistance.
Asylum
After Pablo’s passing, Maria and her family were left with a very difficult life. Maria and her family mourned Pablo Escobar’s death silently and with great joy, while Colombians and others around the globe celebrated his passing. Although she wanted to settle in a city and lead a normal life, Pablo was always following her.
They tried their luck in various countries, including South Africa, Ecuador and Peru, to find refuge, but they couldn’t get it. In 1994, they settled in Argentina under different names. They felt like they had escaped their past after spending several years.
Arrest
Her mother and brother were then arrested in 1999 on charges of money laundering, submitting fake documents and illicit association.
A lack of evidence led to them being released later. Many people were curious to find out where Manuela Escobar was, as she had never been in jail.
Manuela Escobar: What happened?
Manuela Escobar is a single woman who lives alone and avoids other people. She is very private.
El Tiempo, a Colombian news site, published some news about Escobar for the first time in many years. In the article, it was mentioned that Manuela Escobar lived in Buenos Aires under the name Juana Manuela Marroquin Santes.
Jaramillo was her residence. Rumours spread fast that she and her brother live lavish lives because they have inherited millions of dollars in ill-gotten wealth. In reality, the reverse was true.
Manuela felt so connected to her father that she would sometimes sleep in the shirt her father wore when he died. She kept a bit of her father’s hair under her pillow.
With her new identity from Argentina, she started school together with her brother. Her mother began working and became a successful real-estate entrepreneur. Manuela studied public relations.
After the arrest of her brother and mother, her life was forever changed. She was constantly afraid that someone would find her true identity and take revenge for her father’s atrocities.
Is She Really There Now?
After some time, her mother and brother returned to the spotlight and began writing books and speaking candidly to the media about their lives with Pablo Escobar. Manuela, however, has declined to join them.
Manuela has been reported to have suffered from depression since 1999 when her family was arrested. Even her brother confirmed that Manuela once tried to commit suicide. Her brother also confirmed that she is constantly in fear of being identified.
She lives a quiet life, despite not having been convicted of any crime. Manuela currently lives with her brother, and his family.
Severed Tie
She has severed all ties to her homeland and avoided speaking with the media. She has also stopped using any social media platforms.
We will have to wait and see if Manuela Escobar, 38, who is said to live a quiet existence now, ever breaks her silence or comes out of the shadows and dark past.
