A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
THE FOLLOWING IS A FICTIONAL STORY
INSPIRED BY SURVIVING ESCOBAR BY JOHN JAIRO VELÁSQUEZ VÁSQUEZ.
CHARACTERS AND SITUATIONS HAVE BEEN ALTERED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
Thank you.
Hi. Hello, good day.
- Can I get an autograph? - Certainly.
- For who? - To María Vega. So exciting!
- Oh, thank you. So nice. - Thank you.
- Hi, Gabriel. - Hello.
Nice to meet you. Cecilia.
- Can I have your autograph? - Yes, of course.
- We always listen to you at home. - I’m really glad.
- Pineda! - We like...
Should I remind you that we’re on duty?
Sorry, socializing will have to wait.
- Of course. - Come with me.
Take that little group to the inspection room,
and search them everywhere.
Don’t forget that your little singer there was hired by Mr. J.J., okay?
- Yes, sir. - Excuse me.
Let’s see now, the "artist's crew," be nice and remove your shoes.
Pineda, check those cases very well, and those instruments.
Turn the cases over, if you will.
Quick, gentlemen! Let’s see, sir...
No jewelry inside. Remove it.
Vela, check this man’s jacket.
Thoroughly, please. What is this?
Move it, miss, this is not a parade.
Move it. And the ring, too.
Hold this. Hard.
Careful, please.
- Come on! - Where do you think are?
- Those are the instruments. - Silence.
The musicians are here!
Bravo!
CAPITAL PRISON DRUG TRAFFICKERS CELLBLOCK
Bravo!
Welcome, how are you? How are you doing? Are you all right?
- Good. - Let me introduce you.
- You should meet the boss. - Sure.
Boss!
May I introduce...
The surprise star of tropical music.
- And you are... - Gabriel Mendoza, at your service.
I hope you can sing like a bird, because I’ll be dancing with my woman.
- Right, baby? - It’s a pleasure.
- Nice to meet you. - Come on now, play.
That’s what we paid for.
I can’t hear you, Gorrión.
Repeat, over.
Ready. Dance to the music. Over.
We’re ready, Commander.
Everyone's in position and waiting for the signal. Over.
Don't forget, he's the son of a bitch that's fucking your wife.
It’s good.
That’s it, that’s it. Enjoy, bro.
This is delicious, bro.
- Hello, beautiful people! - Eat up.
Not bad.
Are we having fun?
For those who don’t know us, we’re Trópico
and we are honored to be with you all this afternoon.
Especially the birthday boy over here.
Mr. Iván Urrego. A big round of applause for him, please.
Well then, do we or don't we want to dance?
- Yes! - Let’s dance, come on.
One, two, three.
Move your bootie now! That’s it!
Dance it up!
Here, Commander. We’re ready and in position.
I repeat: dance it up!
Well, everybody out, boys.
The party’s outside, not here.
What’s up, bro, get out.
Well, I’ll see. Do your thing.
Put these capsules in these bags over here.
All of them.
What’s up? Move it, I’m ready to party.
Go ahead, bro. Go ahead.
Or am I gonna have to remove them forcefully?
What’s up then?
We need to change the route of the Magdalena
because it’s full of those gringo sons of bitches.
That’s nothing, we’ll change that route. That’s no problem.
What I need is for you to speak to the people in El Dovio,
the ones who still owe that money. If they continue to play dumb,
we bust their asses so they pay.
Yes, but I can’t reach them on the phone.
Since you got here, no one respects you.
Fuck off!
Let's kill one as an example. It's easier than breaking old habits.
I should start a shootout with those sons of bitches?
- Is that what you want? - You know what I want?
I want you to listen. That’s it.
Are you going to get all riled up on your birthday?
Look, lady, I trust my woman, even if she’s a rascal.
But she’s mine.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
I really hope you liked it. It was a pleasure being here with you.
No, hold on a second.
Hold on a second.
How can you leave in the middle of this rad party?
Everyone's having a terrific time, right?
We’re also having a great time with all of you,
but, unfortunately, we have another engagement
and we must go.
No, my friend.
You won’t be so unkind to don Iván.
Sir, would you like to listen to another song?
Go ahead! Blast it, bro!
Why don’t you play that one that goes "dying of love"?
My wife is such a huge fan of yours.
Relax, you’ll get paid for the extra time.
One more, boys: "Dying Of Love".
All right. Go and tend bar.
All right. I saw you. Get out, idiot.
What about you? Did you fall down the drain?
Hurry up.
You think I’m an idiot or what?
There’s one missing here, where is it?
That’s all that came out, brother.
Help me out, I don’t feel well.
It’s all right, that’s normal. Relax, okay?
We’ll go out quietly
and find a doctor to help you. It’s all good.
Oh, no. This dude is dead.
Do me a favor, get him out of here fast. We shouldn’t get mixed up in that.
Everything’s okay, pal. The deed is done.
I’m extremely happy. Very good.
Thank you, I’m glad you liked the show.
- What was your name again? - Gabriel... Mendoza.
John Jairo Velásquez Vásquez. Call me Popeye.
- It's a pleasure. - The pleasure’s mine.
How do you handle all those girlies on tour?
Girlies?
Two things.
I try to keep the ones I have happy.
- Yes... - Two... I try to find more.
That’s right, my friend. Did you get that?
Pour him one, don’t be rude. Would you accept a parting drink?
- Yes, one more. - Go on, help yourself.
What are you doing, asshole?
What are you doing? Let go of me, son of a bitch.
Let go of me, asshole. Let go of me.
- Where did you meet Alexandra? - Alexandra who, asshole?
- My wife, the one you’re screwing. - What are you talking about?
What am I talking about?
You’re so clueless, you miserable dog.
You can’t hurt me. None of you will hurt me.
- You say I can’t hurt you. - You won’t.
If you want, they can do to you what you do to my wife.
- I don’t understand. - You don’t know who you’re messing with.
Not the face, he has a concert tomorrow.
Don’t worry, baby, this will be quick.
Come in, please.
Come in.
Are you all right, sir?
I just have a little pain.
Are you all right, sir?
Sir? Pineda, call the infirmary.
Sir?
Ladies, please, quickly.
Nothing happened. Nothing to see here. Ladies, please, quick.
Quick, please, gentlemen. Didn’t you hear? Quickly.
Come in.
Nothing happened. Sir!
Sir?
Come on, go ahead.
Hey are you coming with us or are you going on your own?
- Go ahead. I’ll go on my own. - Are you sure?
- Yes, I’m sure. - Are you all right?
I’m fine. Alive. Relax, I’ll go on my own.
- What happened to you? - What happened?
What happened?
That son of a bitch...
- They almost killed me. - What?
What do you mean, "What"? Look.
They almost killed me. He knew everything.
- That’s impossible. - Impossible?
He knows everything. Days, times, dates.
Everything I’ve done with Alexandra, he knows.
I knew it, I new that fucking concert was not a coincidence.
And I told you both.
Tell me, where were the bodyguards you sent?
Because there was no one inside.
No one.
What will happen now?
What happens now? If you can’t protect me inside,
how the hell will you protect me outside?
Relax, we’ll think about what to do next.
Fuck, he’s gonna kill me. I’m telling you, he’s gonna kill me.
Well, what shall I say, bro?
The thing is Alexandra’s been sort of hiding from me.
And I, brother, well I...
I had her followed and...
And another guy is screwing her.
- How do you know that? - That doesn’t matter, pal.
Thanks for telling me anyway.
That’s precisely why I called.
I need you to follow them both. Be their shadow.
Wherever they go, you go. And wait for my instructions.
Shouldn’t we kill him instead?
- I’ll tell you what to do. - All right, Pope.
We’ll do that.
GUERRILLAS CELLBLOCK
Okay, comrades...
Here’s the thing...
once we’re out...
we’re going to walk 300 meters west.
Our guy will be waiting in a truck there.
- Is that clear so far? - Yes.
- Yes, of course. - Yes, sir.
I have a question: What are we going to do with J.J.?
Does he go in the truck with us or will he go before?
The group will be divided in two.
You’ll handle J.J.
Leave him in the middle of the tunnel so his body is hard to find
and he rots like the rat he is.
- Is that clear? - Yes, sir.
- Hello. - Hello, Gabriel.
- Alex, I can’t talk. - Wait a moment, I won’t keep you.
I wanted to tell you, I spoke to a lawyer that will help with the divorce.
Alex, look...
Your husband threatened me.
He threatened to kill me, okay?
Please, don’t look for me, don’t call me anymore.
What?
What do you mean he threatened...
Gabriel!
Turn!
Turn.
Get that fag, you moron.
Quick!
Move it. Drag yourself down.
Quick.
Let’s go.
Fuck.
Let’s go, quick.
Everybody freeze!
Freeze! Freeze right there!
Freeze! Get out of there immediately!
Don’t force us to shoot.
Careful, gentlemen.
Get out of there, quick!
Hands where I can see them. Hands where I can see them, sir.
Mr. Galeno.
What a nice surprise.
Handcuff them. Get them out of here.
- Let him go! - Freeze!
Tell them to lower their guns, Clemente. Lower your guns.
I won’t give the order, sir. Don’t do anything stupid.
- Lower your guns. - No one will lower their guns.
Don’t be such a moron. They will kill us all.
- Shut up you son of a bitch. - Listen to your partner there.
You have nowhere to go, sir.
You couldn’t escape, sir.
That’s it. Drop it.
Drop that weapon.
Torres, Pineda, take this gentleman away.
- Quick, Torres. - Outside!
Get Mr. Velásquez out of here. Outside, Mr. Velásquez.
- Torres! Inside! - Outside!
Search around. Don’t let anyone escape.
Dorrego, go with Torres.
Identification.
Miss, I want to place an urgent message for beeper 973825.
Gabriel, call me at the hotel, please. It’s urgent.
Yes, urgent.
Just a few minutes ago, Gabriel Mendoza was murdered,
he was the singer and frontman of the band Trópico.
Witnesses claim he was murdered by hitmen riding motorcycles.
You’ll get in trouble...
and I don’t want anything to happen to you.
I don’t care what happens, I’ll handle the consequences.
But I won’t stop seeing you, even if I wanted to. I can’t.
MAY 15 - 1995 ASSASSINATION OF GABRIEL MENDOZA
LEADER OF THE GROUP TRÓPICO
CAPITAL PRISON
Let me go, asshole.
Since you’re so bored in the cell blocks, gentlemen,
I brought you here so you could get some fresh air.
Don’t make your situation worse, sir.
Let’s go.
Galeno...
You’re a miserable dog.
I’m an asshole, that’s what I am, for not killing you at once, you snitch.
And I’m too naive. Having trusted you...
Some partner I found.
A hungry lion would be friendlier.
Do you know what this cost me?
How much I let go of and for what? For nothing.
What about my money? Nothing?
Don’t you realize that also turned to shit?
Someone else must have heard what I heard from my cell.
Someone ratted out the operation, man.
If not, how can you explain the guards getting there so fast
and knowing where the entrance was?
Who else did you tell about this?
Only those of us here.
What about you?
My friend knew, but he's not the one who busted us, okay?
All good here, honest.
- Someone opened their mouth. - But the snitch is not here.
We must find him.
FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE ESCAPE
My men will be on the other end
and they will shoot anyone coming out too soon.
The warning isn't necessary.
When it’s about business, you can never be too careful.
Fine by me. Let’s take care of each other.
- I have no problem with that. - No, wait up.
I still don't know which sewer we’ll come out of.
The fewer people with that information, the better for everyone.
How the hell do I have someone pick me up outside then?
Tell them to pick you up at Usme Hospital.
We’ll drive you there.
That still doesn’t answer my question.
Where’s the opening of the tunnel?
It’s not so easy. I can’t tell you that.
Not even the closest, most trustworthy people know that.
What’s this game you’re playing?
- Why not give me the information? - You have all the information you need.
If they start shooting outside, will you defend me?
This is a well-planned operation. There won't be a shootout.
Commander, watch out, they’re on to us.
You and I are partners here.
You’re not doing me any favors.
If you’re going to be all secretive, then I’m out.
We’ll get out together. I’ll take you to a safe place.
You don’t think I’m treating you as an equal?
The band Trópico is ready.
FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE ESCAPE
We have two hours to pull off this job.
We won’t be able to blow up that wall in two hours.
I need at least three hours of noise.
We have two hours, not a minute more, not a minute less.
If you get your people organized, that will be enough.
Do you have the explosives?
Who do you think you’re dealing with?
And the guards?
We need to sort it out with those at the gate and on the midnight rounds.
Fine.
- Your people outside know I’m coming? - As I said, everything’s in order.
Okay, because I told my boys to pick me up at Soacha Hospital.
Okay, fine. Perfect.
Tell them to pick you up at Usme Hospital,
we’ll drive you there.
I’ll tell you this, my friend...
you’re responsible for Urrego’s party being a hit
and for that band making a lot of noise.
Rest assured, that party is going to be crazy.
Do your thing. I got my end covered.
- Thank God this damn thing is small. - Barely enough for you.
Bye, doll.
Good morning.
Thank you.
Thank you. Where’s the coffee?
With sugar?
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
What’s with that face, detective?
You think I should have a different face?
Take it easy, brother. We knew this could happen, right?
Of course, it was clear to me that your plan wasn’t worth shit.
No, may I remind you,
Gabriel was sleeping with her before we contacted him.
He screwed a hitman’s wife. He was doomed.
What are you saying?
I’m not saying anything, I just won’t mourn deaths
- that are not on me. - You think his death isn't on us?
We sent him to the prison, we sent him to be killed.
Please!
And after this, what will you do? Tell me! What do you plan to do?
Will you plead guilty for his murder? Is that it?
I’m not going to take on a responsibility that isn’t mine.
I simply do my job. That’s it.
Don’t be an idiot, Durán. You have your career.
And one last thing.
Don’t you ever touch me. Ever again.
Hey, Caspa, my man...
Where should we go now?
Because, you know, this thing is quite hot already.
Easy, bro.
First we need to find some place to hide.
And this is already... We need to bury all this metal.
We need to burn this, bro...
Whoa!
Mr. Velásquez.
Come with us.
Where are we going? I’m good right here.
Shut up and do as you’re told.
I stay put until I know where I'm going.
Come on, Torres.
Let go of me.
That job with the guerrilla is on.
THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ESCAPE
But I don’t want to be involved in it.
If you want my opinion, as your lawyer,
I don’t think it’s a good idea.
Now, if you want my personal opinion, well...
do it.
But only if you’re sure the plan will work.
That’s the thing, it won’t work. They just want to kill me.
Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?
Because the commander is withholding information.
He won’t tell me where we’re going, so my people won’t be there.
- Are you sure? - Yes. I caught him a few times.
He fell for every trap.
He said they would drive me somewhere, then somewhere else.
That means there's no plan. They just want to get me out to kill me.
Do you have another plan?
We could ask for a cellblock or prison transfer.
That takes too long. We need to do something now.
- Give Clemente this information... - No, no, no.
I have nothing to talk about with that pawn Clemente.
Wait, I...
I’ll look for someone with actual power.
Someone who will be really interested in that information of yours.
My dear Dr. Machado, I didn’t come here to talk about that guy.
I’m here to enjoy some wine in your pleasant company.
VICE MINISTER OF JUSTICE
Well, we can enjoy the wine...
TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ESCAPE
and talk about J.J.
We could, but let me warn you right now, I can’t help you with that.
Besides, I want nothing to do with that punk.
I didn’t come here to ask for your help.
My client wants to cooperate with the justice system.
- He has relevant information. - Well, let him cooperate then.
But be warned: he won’t receive any further perks.
He already gave us information
for which he got the minimum sentence,
which was better than what he gave us.
Ignacio, this is valuable and sensitive information.
I’m offering you a deal
that can help you earn points as Vice Minister of Justice.
Or, on the contrary, it could hurt your image.
Come on, Mónica. Let’s be clear.
What are we talking about?
A massive prison break at Capital Prison.
Stop crying, all I did was save your ass.
CAPITAL PRISON
You want me to thank you, sir?
I’m not buying your contrition story. Don’t think I’m such an idiot.
This will be a spoken agreement.
ONE DAY BEFORE THE ESCAPE
Dr. Machado has my word that, if this information proves valuable,
you’ll receive a sentence reduction for your cooperation.
Look doctor, it’s not only valuable,
- the information is brutal, you hear? - I told you.
We’re listening.
Commander Galeno and many of his men
are planning a jailbreak from the narco cellblock.
How do you know?
Because they made the deal with me.
They included me.
Picture it, the tunnel they’re digging goes straight to my cell.
When are they planning to break out?
Ignacio, what I think is, once my client has revealed
every last detail of this jailbreak,
he must go through with the plan.
We can’t risk the guerrilla suspecting him.
No, of course.
Lead those people to the end of the tunnel.
And this conversation never took place.
Excuse me, Vice Minister, don’t you think it’s too much to award...
Warden, are you questioning the Vice Minister’s decisions?
I’m expressing my humble opinion, madam.
Clemente, you and I will talk later.
In the meantime, I ask for your cooperation.
From hitman to guerrilla man, who would have thought?
Don’t play dumb with me, J.J.
What an idiot.
Door.
DRUG TRAFFICKERS CELLBLOCK
Who gave you permission to escape?
With all due respect, I need permission to escape?
You’re such a wiseass, Popeye.
I need you to tell me...
who gave you permission to sneak guerrillas in here?
Those leftist fags.
Tell me how you plan to fix this mess.
Just as we’ve been doing, I get the drugs in for free,
and nothing happened here.
Don’t preach to the choir, man.
I have a way to get the stuff in.
You’re screwed, because you can't do shit for me.
And let me tell you something.
I can’t kill you right now, because my hands are tied.
But, from now on, you’ll need to pay for everything.
For walking, for breathing, for eating, for taking a dump...
Do you understand?
Learn this by heart:
the boss gives the orders,
not the subordinates, bro.
Did you hear the news?
Man...
The news said that Gabriel, the singer,
was shot by two hitmen riding a motorcycle.
Are you sure about that?
Of course, man. Everybody is talking about it.