Maria Victoria Henao was the spouse of the Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. She entered into marriage with Pablo Escobar at the age of 15. And, their relationship endured for 17 years until his demise.
Maria Victoria’s Early Life
Maria Victoria was born in the small Colombian village of Palmyra in 1961. She grew up with two siblings and had a passion for dancing.
Maria Victoria’s Relationship With Pablo Escobar
Maria’s brother Carlos was a drug trafficker working for Pablo Escobar. At the age of 13, she happened to meet Pablo Escobar for the first time in the year 1974 through her brother Carlos. She later fell in love with Pablo who was 11 years older than her.
Maria said that her future husband worked very hard to seduce her. He used to give gifts like a yellow bicycle or something interesting whenever they used to meet and also serenaded her with romantic ballads.
When her family raised objections to their relationship as they knew about Pablo’s criminal activity, they both decided to run away secretly and get married. Further, she became a mother a year after her marriage when she was just 16 years old.
She described Escobar as “Affectionate”, “Gentleman” in her book titled “My Life with Pablo” and in reference to their relationship she wrote, “He made me feel like a fairy princess and I was convinced he was my Prince Charming”.
Maria Victoria’s Children & Pablo’s Affair
She had a second child after seven years in 1984. Even though Maria and Pablo were having a good time post marriage, Pablo was having extramarital affairs with many women. And, his affair with Columbian author cum journalist Virginia Vallejo was well known. Moreover, she was the first television journalist who took Pablo’s interview.
While Pablo was nicknamed “The King of Cocaine”. He was further the wealthiest criminal in history, Maria was under the impression that he was into the real estate business.
During her initial years of marriage, Pablo did not disclose his work to her even though she grew suspicious that he was away from home for many days and was getting huge sums of money when he returned.
She was shocked to know about his drug dealings and criminal activity when he was arrested in 1977. Maria still continued her relationship with Pablo until his brutal murder in 1993.
She was not interested to be part of her husband’s criminal dealings initially and started growing hate towards anything related to her husband’s world. She was upset with her husband’s multiple affairs with many women.
Pablo Escobar Killed by Police
During their 17-year-long relationship, Maria Victoria Henao endured significant pain, much like the entire country of Colombia, due to her husband’s actions. She had severed ties with her family to marry Pablo Escobar, leaving her with no external support. Despite the hardships, she chose not to abandon him, likely believing that she couldn’t survive without his support.
Pablo Escobar’s involvement in the assassinations of Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla and presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán added to the turmoil. When Maria learned about these actions, she realized the gravity of their situation, as she recounted in her book, fearing for her life and the safety of her children. She lived in constant fear of retaliation from her husband’s enemies.
In 1993, Pablo Escobar recognized the imminent danger to his life. Further, Pablo instructed Maria to take their children to a safe location under government protection. He met his demise in a police shootout on a rooftop in Colombia.
The police located him by tracking his cell phone transmission with the assistance of Colombian electronic surveillance. However, Maria’s son, Juan Escobar, believes his father may have taken his own life, considering the dire circumstances.
Maria Victoria’s Life After Pablo’s Death
After Pablo Escobar’s death, life became incredibly complicated for Maria and her children. While many Colombians and people worldwide celebrated his demise, Maria and her family mourned quietly and in constant fear. She desired a peaceful life in a city but found it difficult due to Pablo’s notoriety.
To ensure their safety, Maria had to move her family frequently, even adopting anonymous identities. They eventually relocated to Argentina. Despite their efforts to maintain a low profile, Maria and her family faced legal trouble in 1999, with charges of theft and money laundering.
The police investigation suggested that Maria was aware of Pablo’s illicit activities, including drug trafficking. She vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that she was just his wife and had no involvement in his criminal enterprises.
Due to a lack of evidence, Maria and her children were released after 15 months. However, they were arrested again later for assisting a drug trafficker in money laundering.
Her son, Juan Escobar, has pursued a different path, working as a lecturer and authoring a book titled “Pablo Escobar: My Father.” Maria currently resides in an apartment with her son and mother-in-law, while her daughter has distanced herself from the family.
After nearly two decades of silence, in a 2018 interview with Colombia’s W Radio, Maria Victoria Henao apologized on behalf of her husband for his criminal and terror activities, acknowledging the suffering it caused to many citizens.
What Happened to Pablo Escobar’s Money?
Pablo Escobar had set aside a substantial amount of money to provide for his family, but the whereabouts of this money remain a mystery. While some of his properties and assets were seized by law enforcement, many valuable assets like gold, platinum, and cash could not be traced.
Maria Victoria Henao fondly remembers Pablo Escobar as a loving and caring husband. She stood by his side through all the challenges, even though she was aware of his infidelity.
Despite their efforts, Maria and her family were denied asylum by Germany and Mozambique. They eventually found refuge in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Currently, María Victoria Henao resides in an apartment in Buenos Aires, living under a new identity, either as María Isabel Santos Caballero or Victoria Eugenia Henao.
Wrapping Up
Pablo Escobar wife, Maria Victoria Henao, led a challenging and secretive life. She remained devoted to him despite his criminal activities. She relocated her family for safety, and the mystery surrounding Escobar’s hidden wealth added complexity. Today, she lives in Buenos Aires under a new identity, far from her husband’s notorious past.
Also read: Who is Manuela Escobar: What’s Her The Little-Known Story?
