What Life Was Really Like As The Wife Of Pablo Escobar: The King Of Cocaine

The name Pablo Escobar needs no introduction and was at one time enough to strike terror in the hearts of many as the narco king or “the King of Cocaine”. As the most powerful drug lord in the history of the cartel, Pablo Escobar amassed millions to become one of the richest men of his time. Escobar’s cartel supplied 80% of the drugs smuggled into the United States making a cool turnover of $21.9 billion a year. In the nineties, his net worth was $ 30 Billion in his prime.  Even being filthy rich wasn’t enough to describe his wealth.

Escobar was born in Rionegro, Colombia near Medellin. As History’s richest criminal, anyone would have thought being married to someone like him would have meant a life of luxury. After all when your husband is a notorious drug lord wouldn’t his wife be living like a queen?? But! Here’s what his wife Maria Victoria Henao revealed about being married to Pablo Escobar and you are going to be highly surprised.

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1 She married Escobar at the age of 15

Maria Victoria Henao met Escobar when she was only 13. When she married him she was just 15. Escobar was 26 which meant an age gap of 11 years. She was so in love with Escobar that she remained with him during his high and lows of his life. However, even while Escobar was alive, Maria would ultimately go on to live like a fugitive herself with her two children

Maria’s marriage wasn’t exactly well received by her parents who weren’t obviously happy with their daughter marrying a drug lord.

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2 Escobar was regarded as a modern day Robin Hood

At the height of his infamous career, Escobar was making $70 million a day. It wasn’t just drugs that Escobar dirtied his hands with. As in the drug game, revenge, murder and killing off your opponents is, of course, common and Escobar was famous for it.  He was directly responsible for the deaths of 4000 people but if you just thought they were rivals, they weren’t.  His victims included 200 judges, 1000 journalists, government officials and police. Ironically, he was known among many as the Robin Hood of his times just because of his support to the poor.

Believe it or not, Escobar also entered politics and obviously because who was there to oppose him. He went on to become a Colombian minister of Justice which if you think is really hilarious. His blood money was used to cover the nation’s $10 billion debt just so he could change the laws of extradition.

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3 Maria soon became a victim of her husband’s criminal lifestyle

Maria, of course, was a front row spectator to all of these events unfolding before her eyes. It was a trying and testing time for her knowing that the illegal life would eventually catch up with her and the children.

Their children Sebastian and Manuela were always exposed to a life of difficulties where they were required to be hidden several times from the ongoing war and dangers that could make them victims anytime. The life of luxury provided by Pablo was a sword hanging over their heads because it also meant danger lurking at every corner. They were always on the run and it invariably happened to be always without their father. Maria was alone in such challenging times having to raise her children on her own and in constant fear.

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4 Escobar had countless affairs

Maria’s ordeal didn’t just include the fear of something happening to her children and running constantly from enemies’ and the law. It also included having to deal with the knowledge that her Husband who wasn’t with them most of the time was busy enjoying himself and having in numerous affairs.

It was known knowledge that Pablo Escobar was having an illicit affair with Journalist Virginia Vallejo that involved a good five-year romp. She was reported to have remarked that Escobar was a charming man with plenty of Charisma, passion, and ruthlessness. Obviously, she would after all; he was most probably spending lavishly on her too.

Escobar’s most noted affair was with Griselda Blanco who was also a notorious drug dealer known as the “Cocaine Godmother”

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5 Maria had to flee Colombia

Throughout Escobar’s countless affairs, Maria would remain faithful to him. She never left him in spite of his debauchery. She was also dependent on the lavish lifestyle funded by his drug money which was the only possible reason for her staying with him all those years.

When Escobar died in 1993, Maria Victoria Henao fled Colombia in 1994. She took her two children along and sought refuge in several countries for brief periods because most governments refused to accept them. This meant that even with the death of her notorious husband, she would be haunted and be a victim of his infamy. By now she was totally broke because all of Escobar’s billions was seized by the Colombian government.

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6 She led a life of exile in Argentina

Pablo Escobar’s wife Maria Victoria Henao was ultimately exiled to Argentina where she changed her name to Maria Isabel Santos Caballero to escape recognition and the police. She maintained a low profile lifestyle living in an apartment in Buenos Aires. Her son’s name was changed to Sebastian Marroquin and worked in multiple professions as an architect, lecturer, designer, and author. He would also go on to author a book titled Pablo Escobar: My Father. He is also a reputed motivational public speaker delivering talks on non-violence and drug policy reforms. The only information revealed regarding Escobar’s daughter was that her name was changed to Juana Manuela Marroquín Santos.

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7 She was caught and jailed for money laundering

In 1999, authorities got wind of her whereabouts in Argentina. Both she and her son were imprisoned for 15 months on grounds of money laundering. However, they were soon released due to lack of evidence. Said Maria during her trial “I am a prisoner in Argentina for being Colombian. They want to try the ghost of Pablo Escobar because they want to prove that Argentina is combating drug trafficking.”

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8 She lives somewhere in an unknown location in Argentina

Throughout his notorious lifestyle, Pablo Escobar’s wife Maria paid the price for his criminal activities. This was perhaps the only tragedy faced by the gangster’s family which nothing can be really said whether it affected him or not. Maria was believed to be a woman of mystery who although paid a high price for her husband’s vice, remained a staunch protector of her children and family. Today Maria’s exact whereabouts are unknown and she has always maintained a low profile ever since.

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