The Chilling Fate of Pablo's Most Ruthless Hitmen

Pablo Escobar ruled over a ruthless drug empire in the 1980s, but he didn't operate alone. Flanked by a cadre of brutal hitmen willing to spill blood on Escobar's behalf, the Medellín Cartel reached untold heights of power. Yet when kingpins fall, chaos often consumes their inner circles. In this 1500 word article, we dissect the chilling fates of six notorious Escobar hitmen who left twisted legacies.

We open with Pablo Escobar himself, who transformed the cocaine trade via cunning and cruelty. Allying with characters like cousin Gustavo Gaviria and the tactically adept HH, Escobar oversaw drug running and murders enforcing his will. The cartel attracted violent operators like Popeye, a chillingly devoted hitman tied to bombings and killings furthering Escobar's control. Another lieutenant, Pinina, similarly embodied the ruthless methodology, playing roles in bomb plots against Colombian authorities.

This alliance of heavyweight criminals formed Los Extraditables, a power bloc resisting legal threats like extradition to America. Raking in billions moving cocaine, the cartel peaked influence in the 1980s before pressures mounted. Following prolonged government offensives aided by US law enforcement, Escobar perished in a 1993 rooftop shootout ending his reign.

The first hitman profiled, Popeye, started as a driver before becoming an unflinching cartel enforcer. Reveling in violence, Popeye littered Colombia with corpses, blowing up an airliner to kill a presidential candidate for Escobar. His intimate cartel knowledge made him an ideal right-hand man to Escobar, though Popeye did prison time after his kingpin's demise. Released in 2014, Popeye irked the public by boasting of his criminal legacy. His history leaves a scar on Colombia.

Fellow hitman Pinina helped execute Escobar's bombing of the Administrative Department of Security building in 1986, seeking to cripple security operations. Pinina managed drugs and murders, thriving on chaos until Escobar's death brought internecine cartel struggles. Violence eventually killed Pinina in 1996 during a confrontation with Medellín police.

El Limón formed another cog in the cartel's machinery of terror. Like Pinina, he helped bomb the Administrative Department of Security while conducting a host of killings. After Pablo's death birthed underworld turmoil, El Limón perished amid cartel score settling.

The next Escobar hitman examined goes by Popeye II, anchoring his own paramilitary group trafficking drugs. Popeye II orchestrated high-profile assassinations like that of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán before escaping prison. After forming a private army behind bars, Popeye II's luck evaporated in 1992 with his death during a massive shootout with Colombian police.

HH served as a vital military leader for Escobar, managing finances and the luxurious Hacienda Napoles estate while plotting murders, including that of an ex-Justice Minister pursuing cartel legislation in 1991. HH's first arrest ended after a small bribe in 1987 secured his release. Another 1990 capture concluded differently with HH ultimately dying during a 1992 operation.

In conclusion, Pablo Escobar compiled a crew of violent cutthroats to control cocaine profits, but their loyalty brought ruin. When kingpins tumble, enterprising killers vie to dominate, stoking underworld disorder. For hitmen thriving on chaos, even death provides no escape with legacies of terror persisting. As these stories illustrate, crossing ethical lines and pursuing power blindly extracts profound costs, however appealing illicit profits may seem. The bloody saga of Escobar and his band of ruthless hitmen stands as cautionary evidence that unlawful paths breed dire endings.

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