In the emerald mountains of Colombia, on an island in the Peñol Reservoir, there is a ruin from another time: La Manuela. This Pablo Escobar’s secret estate La Manuela, now falling apart, served as a haunted playground for one of the most notorious villains of the 20 th century, the drug lord Pablo Escobar, strayed with his daughter, to whom he named the place. While this now ruined building was once a testament to the power of Escobar, it represents one empire’s decay replaced by another.
Picture yourself taking up 20 acres, a home designed for a mob kingpin. La Manuela had all Escobar needed – a personal paradise for his most vivid delights. Guests were welcomed by luxuriant gardens shipped from across the globe, which stretched to magnificent properties with a private disco for night carousing. Also a tennis court, a football field that transformed into a helipad, and a unique parking for his adored motorcycles – La Manuela was more than a home; it was a cartel office.
In 1993, the walls of La Manuela trembled under thunders. The thirst for revenge from the vigilante group Los Pepes for the atrocities committed by Escobar was devastating. Two hundred kilograms of TNT tore down the heart of the golden mansion. After the explosion, there was nothing left but a smoldering ruin. Thus the bright and brilliant symbol of the strength of Escobar was destroyed forever. It remains a vivid example that no empire built on violence and bloodshed can last forever.
Eight months later, Pablo Escobar met his death, mortally wounded on the rooftop in Medellin. And the Medellin Cartel, like La Manuela, fell apart. As Escobar’s tyranny ended the countryside estate turned into a field for wild pigs with overgrown gardens, where only the rustling of leaves and the dispiriting whispers of the wind remind of the past.
Now La Manuela exists as decayed ruins, serving as a place of interest for various tours – a horror movie reminder about a time that was. The establishment officially belongs to the government, but street rumors name a man named William who resides in the desolated mansion for the past thirty-odd years. Is William a squatter, or does he has a title for the ruins? This adds to the eerie nature of La Manuela.
What will ultimately become of La Manuela? Will it stoically stand, a permanent reminder of Colombia’s past, always urging its citizens to remember their country’s fractious history? Or will it be swallowed entirely by the encroaching jungle, leaving barely a trace to alert future generations of its existence? The fate of La Manuela is immensely uncertain.
But here we can look beyond the outside. A conversation with the natives frequenting La Manuela might be a powerful insight into their opinions of this house of brutality and decadency. And providing the brief background of the Colombian drug world, from the Medellin and Cali Cartels in power and ruin, will complete a grand picture of power heritage consuming the Colombian land.
The story of Pablo Escobar’s secret estate La Manuela is not just the story of one luxurious estate. It’s a narrative of power, greed, and the ill fated outcome of a life lived and created through crime. As we reveal the secrets behind the ownership of La Manuela and reflect upon its past and potentially for the future, it stands as an ominous testament to the temporary nature of power and the enduring legacy of violence decisions.
