25 Pablo Escobar Quotes From The King of Cocaine

As you’ll see in these Pablo Escobar quotes, he had two very different sides.

Escobar was a Colombian drug lord who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel.

He was nicknamed the King of Cocaine and is known for being the wealthiest criminal in history, having amassed an estimated net worth of US$30 billion by his death.

Escobar was born on December 1, 1949, in Rionegro and raised in Medellín.

After dropping out of college, he started engaging in criminal activity – selling illegal cigarettes, fake lottery tickets and participating in motor vehicle theft.

The Medellin Cartel was one of the largest and most violent criminal organizations in history.

At the height of his power, Escobar controlled 80% of the global cocaine supply and was responsible for numerous atrocities.

But while he was responsible for the death of hundreds of people, he was also known as somewhat of a Robin Hood because he helped some poor communities by building sports fields and housing projects.

He also had extreme love for his family. 

But no matter how people try to spin in, Pablo Escobar was a hardened criminal who eventually died because of his “work.”

His criminal activities led to his downfall, as the Colombian government, with the help of the United States, launched a massive manhunt to capture him.

On 2 December 1993, a day after his 44th birthday, Escobar was killed in his hometown by Colombian Police.

His death marked the end of an era and left a lasting impact on Colombia and the world.

To this day, Pablo Escobar remains one of the most notorious drug lords in history and a symbol of the violent excesses of the drug trade.

His life story has been told and retold through books, movies, and even television shows.

Learn more about him in these Pablo Escobar quotes. 

Don’t forget to also check out these recovery and addiction quotes to help you heal.

If you enjoy this collection, check out our inspirational quotes category page.

Pablo Escobar quotes about drugs, money, and crime

1. “Dirty money is in all economic sectors of the country.” – Pablo Escobar

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2. “I’ll never surrender.” – Pablo Escobar

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3. “There can only be one king.” – Pablo Escobar

4. “I prefer to be in the grave in Colombia than in a jail cell in the United States.” – Pablo Escobar

5. “The purpose of war is peace.” – Pablo Escobar

6. “The thing about war is, it’s just bad for business. And when you got a bull’s eye on your back, your rivals get bold.” – Pablo Escobar

7. “Dirty money is in all economic sectors of the country.” – Pablo Escobar

8. “There’s cash buried everywhere. The guerillas, the paramilitary, the narcos… Everybody’s burying cash.” – Pablo Escobar

9. “All empires are created by blood and fire.” – Pablo Escobar

10. “I am Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria. My eyes are everywhere. That means you guys can’t move a finger in all of Antioquia without me knowing about it.” – Pablo Escobar

11. “There is a time to fight, and there is a time to be clever.” – Pablo Escobar

12. “I’ll die before I ever leave Colombia again.” – Pablo Escobar

13. “Sometimes I feel like God…when I order someone killed – they die the same day.” – Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar quotes about people

14. “Only those who went hungry with me and stood by me when I went through a bad time at some point in life will eat at my table.” – Pablo Escobar

15. “To have power does not mean that one can abuse the poor.” – Pablo Escobar

16. “I can replace things, but I could never replace my wife and kids.” – Pablo Escobar

17. “There are two hundred million idiots, manipulated by a million intelligent men.” – Pablo Escobar

18. “Geniuses are always branded as crazy.” – Pablo Escobar

19. “Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.” – Pablo Escobar

More Pablo Escobar quotes

20. “We have to create a presence so disruptive they’ll want nothing but peace.” – Pablo Escobar

21. “I’m a decent man who exports flowers.” – Pablo Escobar

22. “Life is full of surprises, some good, some not so good.” – Pablo Escobar

23. “They may separate us, but they’ll never be able to destroy us.” – Pablo Escobar

24. “Lies are necessary when the truth is too difficult to believe.” – Pablo Escobar

25. “I am not a rich person. I am a poor person with money.” – Pablo Escobar

What did you learn from these Pablo Escobar quotes?

It can feel confusing to read these quotes from Pablo Escobar.

His own words speak too very different messages. One is of love for family and what seems like wisdom.

A few of these quotes even seem like they could be motivational if you didn’t know who they were coming from.

But it’s important to keep his quotes in perspective with his life. 

If you want to learn more about Pablo Escobar, you can read books about his life and the manhunt that lead to his death.

You can also read a book written by his son Juan Pablo Escobar to gain an inside perspective and what happened to the family after Pablo died.

While he was incredibly successful for a time, his life path is not one that you want to follow.

What’s your biggest takeaway from these Pablo Escobar quotes and sayings?

Do you have any other inspirational quotes to add?

Let us know in the comment section below.