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

It’s been seven months since my latest post on this series, so check these out to get a refresher on everything:

• SNEAK PEEK
• Day 1
• Day 2
• EPISODE 1

Monday, February 13, 2017 - Day 3

I stumble out of bed early in the morning still trying to process the stories from the night before: the assassination of Galán, the schoolgirl orgies, the car bombings…what we had engrained & stored across several memory cards was pure gold: the truth.

Now came the important yet dull task of labeling & backing up each file in as organized of a manner as possible so that come time for post-production, our archives wouldn’t be a clusterfuck.

An hour later René @world5list & I are off to Avis to rent an SUV—or camionetta—big enough to fit us, Popeye, and our crew. Once we have our car, Rene takes on the daunting task of driving us home.

For those who don’t know, driving in Medellín is a madhouse! The seemingly lawless manner in which their society was governed was very much apparent in their driving protocol as well. Lanes? Who needs that? Speed limit? More like speed “suggestion!” All the while you’re trying to dodge the countless motorbikes swerving in & out of every nook & cranny they can squeeze themselves into/out of.

After making it home in one piece, we load up the car with the proper filming equipment, pile in, and head to the next meetup location: Popeye’s studio.

As usual, he’s sporting his warm smile while emanating an aura of gratitude. “¡Hola hermano! ¿Cómo estás?" ("Hi brother! How are you?")

We load up our arms full of camera/audio equipment & climb up a staircase not knowing where it leads to. Moments later we arrive at a fully-equipped production studio, complete with backdrop, professional cameras, proper lighting, and an editing room. For being an older guy from an "out-of-touch-with-technology" generation, we were impressed!

Popeye then introduces us to his YouTube business partners (socios): two brothers who run their own YouTube network & who are now aiding him in his quest for YouTube greatness. Hanging on their wall are three plaques: one for Popeye and two for each of the brothers; each plaque representing different channels that have acquired 100,000 subscribers (a very important milestone in every YouTuber’s career). These guys mean business!

In another unforeseen act of kindness, he whips out several “Wanted” (”Se Busca”) posters featuring Pablo, himself, and three other sicarios—all of whom had bounties on their heads totaling several million dollars—and begins writing custom notes to each & every one of us along with an autograph.

He then proceeds to do the same thing with the books he’s written, giving each of us a copy to take home as a souvenir of our times with him.

Popeye once claimed that he has no soul, which allowed him to be such a proficient killer. But what we had experienced so far proved otherwise.

After taking a few photos to send to our loved ones, we begin negotiations with the two brothers, who act as some sort of behind-the-scenes managers assisting in Popeye’s flourishing YouTube career. Rene & I are so eternally grateful for all the time he’s taken out of his busy day to provide us with invaluable footage (at no charge whatsoever) that we’re eager to give back to him as much as possible in order for our collaboration to be as mutually beneficial as possible.

Deals are done & promises are made…time to hit the road.

With Popeye now behind the steering wheel of our rental, we clamor into the back & gear up for our next filming location: the house where Pablo Escobar was killed.

Surprisingly, it’s situated less than 5 minutes away. But with all the hectic Medellín traffic, it ends up taking closer to half an hour. On what’s a quiet, calm street in a sleepy neighborhood sits the rooftop on which the world's richest drug trafficker took his last breath.

There, in front of us, the King of Cocaine was slain. For having run the biggest drug empire in history, Pablo’s death acts as a constant reminder of how vulnerable we really are, regardless of what fortune & fame can provide us. There it was: a one story high, shingle-laden rooftop where El Patron was gunned down 24 years earlier by the Colombian National Police with shared efforts from the D.E.A. and Los Pepes (a ruthless vigilante group comprised of the Cali Cartel, the paramilitaries, and Pablo’s former associates whose main intent was to kill Pablo).

It was here that Popeye gave us a rundown of Escobar’s final moments + what he believed to be the truth on exactly how it all happened (since there lies much confusion on the details & sequence of events):

• Some theories state that the final shot to Pablo’s head was delivered by an extremely stealthy U.S. sniper situated on a nearby rooftop, who delivered the shot as a sort of coup de grâce.
• Pablo’s son Sebastián Marroquín (né Juan Pablo Escobar Henao) firmly believes that his father delivered the headshot himself as a means to commit suicide & ultimately avoid extradition.
• Popeye gives 100% credit to the Colombian National Police & no one else.

Regardless of how it actually went down, one thing was certain: Don Pablo put up nothing short of a futile fight before meeting his ultimate demise.

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

We had to be sneaky during the entire filming process, as neighborhood residents frown upon tourists trying to catch a glimpse of the site. Thanks to pre-planning & speedy handwork by our crew, we were in & out within 30 minutes.

One of the questions I get asked most frequently when telling others about this project is, “How is this guy still alive & walking freely? He must have a target on his head!"

It’s important to note that throughout our drive both to & from the shooting location (as well as every day we were with him), Popeye was recognized by everyone. From pedestrians on the streets to bus drivers in the next lane over, the people of Medellín felt no need whatsoever to hide their love & support for him. Affectionate shouts of “Popeye!” would usually be met with his “¡Parcero! ¿Cómo le va?” (“Buddy! How’s it going?”)

The country stands torn about Popeye & all that he represents. Some say he should still be in jail, where he should rot for the rest of his life. Others want to see him thrive & flourish. Our experience thus far made us lean towards the latter.

It’s not my intention to glorify a former assassin, but rather, to tell the story of a man who lived through it all; providing a first-hand look into the times when Escobar walked the Earth. And to demonstrate how much a reformed man’s intentions can change, while at the same time using his past to his advantage by leveraging his influence to finally do good in society & contribute in a productive/effective manner.

Veering back to the streets of Medellín, we drop Popeye off back at his studio. René, the crew, and I recoup over a piping hot Colombian meal while mentally preparing for what would be an exhausting, yet exhilarating, day 4: Hacienda Nápoles!

As promised in my original post, here's some exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of our time in Popeye's YouTube studio released exclusively for Steemit: