The Wild True Story of Murderous Drug Lord Griselda Blanco

As I delve into the tumultuous and intriguing life of Griselda Blanco, a woman who defied societal norms and left an indelible mark on the underworld, I find myself awestruck by her audacity and resilience. Born in Colombia, she rose to become one of the most powerful drug lords in Miami, all while juggling motherhood, multiple marriages, and a relentless pursuit of power.

Griselda Blanco, known as the “Godmother of Cocaine,” had such a high regard for her position that she chose to name her youngest child after a famous mafia figure, Michael Corleone.

Overlooking a drug trafficking network that, at its peak, transported around 3,400 pounds of cocaine every month via various means – land, air, and sea – is bound to give a person some impressive titles. It also ensures an abundance of material for books, documentaries, and fictional television series.

Sofia Vergara, renowned for her Emmy-nominated role as Blanco in Netflix’s Griselda, expressed her fascination during an interview with Deadline in June. She was captivated because she recognized the characters from Colombia, notably Pablo Escobar and the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers, who are globally known drug lords. However, she never imagined that a woman would be able to attain the same level of prominence as these men in the criminal underworld.

At the September 15 award ceremony, Vergara, a Colombian woman who made history as the first Latina in her category to be nominated, found it challenging on occasion to portray the cold-hearted and unsympathetic character of Blanco, despite her being undeniably sharp and endearing.

The former star of ‘Modern Family’ expressed, “At times, I found myself admiring her, thinking something along the lines of ‘What an achievement for a woman to do that,’ but then I had to remind myself that, despite this, she was a ruthless serial killer and sociopath who caused immense pain to numerous lives.

While the loftiest of lore put the number of murders Blanco ordered at 250, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Schlessinger put the number in the dozens. (She was only ever charged in three killings, and the case never made it to trial.)

Schlessinger, who previously prosecuted Blanco, stated to the Miami Herald following her death in 2012 that it was unclear in the U.S. how many murders she ordered in Colombia. He described her as a cold-hearted individual, capable of killing people instantly for various reasons such as displeasing her, failing to meet expectations, or simply not appealing to her.

As I reflect, Bob Palombo, once an agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, shared with the Herald that she possessed an enchanting charm. She could captivate you with her intelligence and transform you into a devoted devotee. There was also a sense of apprehension: Anyone working under her also understood that she wouldn’t ask anyone to do something she wouldn’t do herself.

Meanwhile, Vergara dedicated 15 years to guiding the Blanco project towards the screen, eventually finding success with Netflix.

Initially having the opportunity to complete it six years following Catherine Zeta-Jones’ portrayal of Blanco in the Lifetime movie “Cocaine Godmother”, this five-time Emmy nominee found herself feeling apprehensive about various aspects, such as transitioning into a dramatic role and performing in Spanish for the first time, to donning a prosthetic nose and undergoing a significant physical transformation for the part.

In its debut week in January, Griselda climbed to the peak of Netflix’s worldwide viewership ranking, with a total of 113.8 million viewing hours logged by approximately 20.6 million viewers, as reported by the streaming service itself.

Vergara pointed out that there’s always an element of uncertainty when doing something like this, but discovering that people appreciate it is truly a blessing,” (or) “Vergara noted that there’s a chance things could go either way when doing something like this, but finding out that people enjoy it is a wonderful surprise.

However, what keeps people captivated by Blanco, a role that Jennifer Lopez had previously expressed interest in portraying? It seems that the script is practically already written.

How did Griselda Blanco get her start in the drug trade?

Blanco hails from Cartagena, Colombia, born on February 15, 1943, but spent most of his childhood in Medellín. It’s interesting to note that this city is also the birthplace of Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord who operated his violent enterprise there before meeting his end in a police shootout in 1993.

Turning to crime as a kid to earn money, Blanco started as a pickpocket and then sold marijuana.

1964 saw her relocate to Queens, New York, which had a thriving Colombian community. Given that moving large amounts of marijuana wasn’t particularly feasible, she discovered a lucrative market for cocaine instead.

Initially, she arranged for a factory in Medellín to manufacture corsets and other undergarments with secret pockets, which female smugglers used to conceal illicit substances during commercial flights to Miami. Eventually, the pilots themselves became part of her workforce.

As I delved deeper into my line of work, my name started to echo through the halls of power due to my strategic acumen and… let’s say, aggressive methods. It was reported that my annual earnings from the cocaine trade were in the millions.

In an interview with Today.com in January, former West Miami Police chief and homicide detective Nelson Andreu stated that if someone owed this individual money but they didn’t want to pay them back, she would kill them. Conversely, if someone couldn’t repay her a debt, she was also capable of killing them. Essentially, it seemed like a favorable situation for her, while everyone else faced potential harm.

In a backstage video, Vergara explained, “Unlike someone well-known such as Pablo Escobar, he was intimidated by her at that moment. She held her ground independently.

In April 1975, Blanco and over 30 of her subordinates were charged in a U.S. District Court in New York for conspiring to produce, bring into the U.S., and distribute cocaine, as part of Operation Banshee. However, by the time the grand jury handed down the indictment, the notorious figure often referred to as the “Godmother of Cocaine” (also known as “the Black Widow,” “La Madrina,” “Cocaine Queen,” and “Queenpin”) had already escaped to Colombia.

In 2008, Palombo recounted to Maxim that we were pursuing drug conspiracy accusations against her, but she had disappeared and could not be located.

Several years later, however, she set up shop in Miami.

Where did the term “Cocaine Cowboys” come from?

On July 11, 1979, Colombian cocaine dealer German Panesso-Jimenez and his bodyguard Juan Carlos Hernandez suffered a fatal shooting at Crown Liquors near the Dadeland Mall in South Miami. The brutal incident was soon connected to escalating violence associated with the Medellín cartel.

The assassins arrived discreetly in a truck adorned as a Happy Time Complete Party Supply vehicle. Law enforcement, according to former Dade County homicide detective Raul Diaz speaking to Maxim, referred to it as a “war wagon” due to its sides being reinforced with quarter-inch steel and equipped with gunports.

According to the Herald, when a police officer used the phrase “cocaine cowboys” on the scene, this term quickly spread as stories about Miami’s rampant drug dealers sparked comparisons to the lawless days of the Wild West.

Miami lawyer Sam Burstyn stated to Maxim that Griselda Blanco served as the spark for the U.S. government to acknowledge Miami’s significant issue. Essentially, he suggested that we were seen as a wild frontier town like Dodge City.

The killings at Crown Liquor store remained unresolved until 1983. In that year, Fernando Villega-Hernandez was imprisoned for five years due to cocaine conspiracy and possession charges. He was found guilty of similar offenses in another case the following year. During his sentencing in May 1984, Lurana Snow, a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, implicated him as one of the shooters at the liquor store. She based this accusation on details provided by a government informant and evidence that Villega’s fingerprints were found at the crime scene.

In court, U.S. District Judge Jose A. Gonzalez stated that it would be inappropriate, unconstitutional, and most importantly, unfair, to take into account the murder charges during Villega’s sentencing for a 15-year term on drug trafficking charges.

The judge questioned the reason behind the prosecutors not bringing their case before a grand jury, to which Snow responded, “I hope they will, but we’re not prepared for it just yet.

1984 saw DEA Agent Steve Georges sharing with The Herald that Villega was an integral part of the cocaine-trafficking organization led by Blanco. It’s worth noting that while several drug lords based in South Florida operated under her, Agent Georges clarified that these individuals frequently clashed among themselves as well.

Among the bosses, Carlos “Panello” Ramirez, was accused of swindling Panesso in a 40-kilo cocaine deal worth $3 million, Georges claimed to the Herald. This allegedly served as the reason behind Panesso’s murder. To eliminate Panesso, Ramirez teamed up with Paco Sepulveda, who was Villega’s boss, because Paco’s girlfriend was having an affair with Panesso.

In a court setting, Ramirez, who Snow testified was the second gunman, met his end in Colombia in 1980 as per Georges’ account. Meanwhile, by 1984, Sepulveda had begun serving a 27-year prison term in New York for drug offenses in the federal system.

Did Griselda Blanco ever go to prison?

On February 17, 1985, officials such as Palumbo from the DEA apprehended Blanco at her Irvine, California residence due to cocaine trafficking allegations linked to a 1975 indictment in New York. After being found guilty, she was given a 15-year prison sentence and served 13 of those years.

Subsequently, she was transported to Florida, as prosecutors had been preparing to indict her for capital murder related to the 1982 fatalities of three individuals: two-year-old Johnny Castro, who was struck by a bullet believed to have been meant for his father, and Alfredo and Grizel Lorenzo, drug dealers who were gunned down at their residence while their offspring were in another room.

In 1993, Jorge “Rivi” Ayala, who once worked as Blanco’s hitman but later became an informant, admitted guilt to three murder charges and was given a life sentence with the chance of parole after serving 25 years. Miguel “Miguelito” Perez, another hitman who collaborated with him, was already imprisoned for a different murder. Since he received the same sentence as Ayala, Perez was released in 2008 following completion of his 25-year term.

A complicating factor emerged in Blanco’s murder trial when it was discovered that Ayala had engaged in phone conversations of a sexual nature with employees from the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. Subsequently, three secretaries were dismissed and a prosecutor stepped down due to the ensuing scandal, as reported by the Herald. (It is worth noting that one secretary was later exonerated and reinstated, according to the Orlando Sentinel).

In a turn of events, Orlando prosecutors negotiated an arrangement with Blanco where she admitted guilt for second-degree murder and received a sentence consisting of three consecutive terms, each lasting 20 years, back in 1998. Due to sentencing regulations in effect at the time, she served seven years before being released and was subsequently deported to Colombia in 2004.

Before a 2013 hearing on Ayala’s plea for leniency due to his cooperation with law enforcement, I, as his legal representative, expressed hope to the Herald that the State Attorney would overlook the past indiscretions, such as the questionable phone calls and the involvement of secretaries, and instead acknowledge the good he’s done by granting him proper credit.

A judge denied the request and Ayala, now 67, remains in prison.

How did Griselda Blanco die?

As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but share the intriguing tale that attributes the brilliant concept of the Motorcycle Assassin to none other than Blanco. This enigmatic figure is said to have envisioned the image of a motorbike-riding hitman, who would appear swiftly, discharge his weapon, and then vanish just as quickly into the horizon.

On September 3, 2012, Blanco had stepped out from the Cardiso butcher shop in Medellín, having purchased $150 worth of meat. Suddenly, two men on motorcycles appeared. One of them fired two shots at the 69-year-old straight into his head, jumped back onto his bike, and they swiftly rode away.

According to El Colombiano, Blanco’s daughter-in-law who was expecting, had been waiting for her in the car. Upon arrival, she placed a Bible on her mother-in-law’s chest.

Blanco was laid to rest at the Jardines de Montesacro cemetery in Medellin, where Pablo Escobar also rests. To this day, no one has faced charges for her killing.

In 2012, Andreu, a former Miami cop, expressed surprise in an interview with The Herald that she had not been harmed earlier due to her numerous adversaries. He stated that when one causes as much harm and injury as she did, it’s inevitable that those wronged would seek retribution at some point.

But Schlessinger, the Florida prosecutor on her case, was shocked by the news.

He informed the newspaper, “I was utterly shocked when I learned that she had passed away. We had assumed for years that she was no longer alive.

Did Griselda Blanco have a family?

In the course of my life, I’ve been blessed with three wonderful husbands – Carlos Trujillo, Alberto Bravo, and Dario Sepulveda. Tragically, each of them passed away before me, and it’s often speculated that these circumstances were orchestrated by me. Additionally, I am a mother to four remarkable sons.

In an interview prior to the premiere of Griselda, Vergara shared that behind her seemingly ordinary appearance lay a woman who was managing four children while constructing a ruthless and extraordinary empire.

Blanco’s oldest trio of sons joined the family enterprise and tragically met their end in Colombia. On the show, Griselda discovers, from behind bars, that three of her sons were murdered in distinct attacks – a fictional portrayal of real-life occurrences.

As for myself, I’m fortunate to be remembered by my youngest son, Michael Corleone Blanco, a familiar face on the VH1 reality show “Cartel Crew” between 2019 and 2021.

Apart from that, he is one of the co-creators of the apparel brand Pure Blanco, described on its online platform as an embodiment of the “Luxury Criminal Syndicate Lifestyle.

Besides calling Michael by his association with Griselda Blanco, known as ‘The Cocaine Godmother’, the site also features a saying allegedly from his late mom: “Strength is crucial.

How accurate is Netflix’s Griselda?

Andreu forecasted to Today.com that “they won’t accurately depict her as she truly was.” In films, it’s common for creators to prioritize what they believe will attract audiences rather than sticking strictly to the facts, resulting in a portrayal that is nearly true but not entirely accurate.

However, the creators of Griselda aimed to ensure that their artistic freedoms felt as genuine and authentic as they could manage.

According to Doug Miro, executive producer and co-showrunner, they aimed for “authentic emotional depth” in the series. He clarified that by “truth,” they meant capturing the core emotions of the characters, understanding their personal experiences, and immersing viewers in their perspectives. To achieve this, they delved deeper than just what’s written or published.

However, sharing the story was deeply personal for Vergara, as her older brother Rafael, who she mentioned to the New York Times, “was involved in this business” and was tragically killed in Bogotá during the 1990s. Also, many of the Latin actors and crew members who worked on the show, including fellow Colombian Karol G, held personal connections for her.

The singer, who portrayed Carla in the film “Griselda,” shared her perspective with the Times. As Colombians, we view the story of Griseldo Blanco differently than the world might see it as fiction. In our families, there are tales about individuals who met a tragic end due to Pablo Escobar or Griselda Blanco.

2024-09-15 17:20