Out of Options
Escobar was skeptical about the idea that the government wanted to transfer him to a safer prison while they added security to La Catedral. Why would they try to protect a known killer? He asked to speak to high-ranking government officials in person so the Vice Minister of Justice came to the prison. His real name was Eduardo Mendoza. After General Ariza failed to complete orders to secure the prison, Mendoza entered the prison unarmed and unescorted to negotiate . Escobar seized the opportunity to snatch guns from his prison guards and take him hostage along with the national prison director and assistant justice minister. Popeye, one of Pablo’s main sicarios, has said that kidnapping people was the biggest leverage the cartel could have, and they used it countless times to evade tough situations. Mendoza said there was an Uzi cocked to his head and they debated killing him several times until explosions and gunfire were heard. The army managed to rescue him, but not his job. Mendoza was forced to step down after naively facing the world’s most dangerous man without protection.
