Part 6/12:
Despite their preference for discretion, the rise of the Medellín cartel and Escobar’s reckless violence inevitably brought them into a brutal rivalry. The early 1980s saw a ceasefire between the two cartels, united against the common threat of Colombia’s M19 guerrilla group, which had begun targeting drug traffickers' families for ransom. This collaboration turned sour as Escobar's political ambitions grew, leading him to assassinate several prominent figures, drawing widespread media attention and prompting a government crackdown.