La Catedral siege

The La Catedral siege occurred on 22 July 1992 when the Colombian Army was dispatched to move Pablo Escobar from his La Catedral "prison" to a conventional prison, ostensibly to guarantee his safety from his rivals as La Catedral was fortified. However, Escobar knew that he was going to be sent to a real prison, where he would be powerless, and he took the Vice-Minister of Justice, Eduardo Sandoval, hostage. Special forces were required to storm La Catedral, but Escobar managed to escape.

Background[]

being beaten to death by Blackie and Velasco as lays dead — Gerardo Moncada being beaten to death by Blackie and Velasco as Fernando Galeano lays dead

In 1991, Medellin Cartel boss Pablo Escobar agreed to cease his campaign of bombings and assassinations against the Colombian government in exchange for being allowed to stay in a jail that he would build. This "prison", La Catedral, was more of a fortress and a resort, as he was guarded by his own men, and no planes or policemen were allowed within four kilometers of La Catedral. Escobar had free rein within the walls of his fortress, and the American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sought to prove that he was violating his surrender terms. When Escobar murdered his treacherous lieutenants Gerardo Moncada and Fernando Galeano within the prison walls, the news reported these rumors, leading to President Cesar Gaviria being advised to move Escobar out of the prison. His adviser Eduardo Sandoval advised him to move Escobar to a conventional prison, where he would have no power. Another adviser told him that he could pretend to be moving Escobar for security reasons as La Catedral was fortified, and Gaviria decided to send General Ariza and the Fourth Brigade to move Escobar.

The siege[]

The Colombian Army trucks moved along the main road, and Escobar's wife Maria Henao called him to warn him of the army's arrival. The trucks stopped at the gates of the prison, and a robed Escobar looked down at the trucks and ordered his men to gather their weapons and prepare for a fight. General Ariza told his men that Lieutenant Dominguez would lead the men, and he gave him the authorization to shoot at the enemy if the soldiers were fired upon. The police formed a perimeter around the building, and the United States' Mil Group closely monitored the situation.

Vice-Minister of Justice's arrival[]

Eduardo Sandoval being held as a hostage by Escobar

That night, Escobar ordered his guards to fire on anyone who tried to enter the building, and his henchman "Blackie" told Escobar that President Gaviria had sent Eduardo Sandoval to negotiate with him. Sandoval was taken hostage by Escobar, who knew that he was lying when he explained the false reasons for him being moved, and Sandoval was told to negotiate with Gaviria on the phone. Sandoval was to warn him that there would be grave consequences if he did not move the troops surrounding the prison, but Escobar and his men would peacefully continue their sentences if the soldiers left. Gaviria did not speak on the phone, hearing Sandoval ask Escobar how long he would be held. One of Gaviria's advisers advised him to send a DAS hostage negotiation team to the scene, and Gaviria wondered why the army had not already taken Escobar into custody; because General Ariza was from Medellin, Gaviria secretly believed him to be corrupt.

Special forces raid[]

Colombian special forces breaching the prison

Escobar was phoned ahead by a traitor in the government forces who revealed that special forces were due to raid the prison while Sandoval was still inside. Escobar decided to flee, but he gave orders for Sandoval to be left alive, hoping for him to be killed by his own government, like Diana Turbay was in 1991. However, Colombian special forces arrived and informed General Ariza that his brigade was no longer in command of the operation, and Colombian troops used a breaching charge to destroy the lock on the chain link fence's gate. The Colombian snipers proceeded to fire at the cartel members and guards in their watchtowers and through the windows of the prison, and Colombian special forces soldiers on the ground threw grenades into the game room while breaching the building. Several cartel members and security guards were gunned down, while some of the other uniformed prison guards were arrested. Sandoval was rescued when his two captors were gunned down, and the special forces soldiers told him to keep on moving, no matter what happened. The siege ended that night, but Escobar managed to escape through a tunnel under the fortress, and he went on the run once more. Fear of a new war breaking out was high, but there would be no negotiations or surrender this time; Escobar would have to be killed.