Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri is known mainly because he was the father of Pablo Escobar, the most famous drug lord in Colombia. But Abel’s own life was quiet, rural, and very different from his son’s violent world. This article explains his story in simple detail, including his family, work, wealth, and death.
Quick Bio of Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri
| Bio Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri |
| Known For | Father of Pablo Escobar |
| Birth Date | 14 March 1914 |
| Birth Place | Antioquia, Colombia |
| Nationality | Colombian |
| Occupation | Farmer, farm manager (mayordomo) |
| Spouse | Hermilda Gaviria Berrío |
| Children | 7 (including Pablo and Roberto) |
| Famous Event | Kidnapped and rescued in 1984 |
| Death Date | October 2001 (often listed as 25 Oct 2001) |
| Cause of Death | Natural illness (reported lung problems) |
| Burial Site | Jardines Montesacro Cemetery, Itagüí |
Early life and roots
Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri was born on 14 March 1914 in the countryside of Antioquia, Colombia. Antioquia is a mountain region where farming is a hard but common way to live. Abel grew up as a poor peasant boy who learned to plant crops and care for animals.
His parents were Pablo Emilio Escobar and Sara María Echeverri. They were also rural people, so Abel’s childhood was shaped by land, weather, and long workdays. He did not have high schooling, but he had farm skills that later fed his family.
Marriage to Hermilda Gaviria
When Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri was a young man, he met Hermilda de los Dolores Gaviria Berrío, a schoolteacher working in rural towns. Family stories say Abel saw her on a mountain road in Rionegro and fell in love. They married and started a large family.
Hermilda was educated and strong-willed. In those years, many women stopped working after marriage, so she left teaching for a time and focused on the children. Abel tried to provide money through farm work, but life stayed difficult.
Children of Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri
Many people search for “Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri children” or “hijos.” He and Hermilda had seven children: Roberto, Pablo, Gloria Inés, Argemiro, Alba Marina, Luz María, and Luis Fernando. The family moved often because Abel followed farm jobs.
Their second son, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, was born in 1949. Pablo later became the core of the Medellín Cartel. Abel wanted a simple path for his kids, but poverty and local crime made the future uncertain.
Work life: farmer and mayordomo
Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri spent almost his whole life working the land. He was a farmer (campesino) and later a mayordomo, a farm manager. He worked on property owned by Joaquín Vallejo Arbeláez, a respected politician in Antioquia, who also became Pablo’s godfather.
The job was stable for a time, but the family still struggled. In the early 1960s they moved near Medellín to the town of Envigado. Abel tried running a small home store, yet it failed. He also worked as a painter, gardener, and guard.
A father far from the cartel
As Pablo rose in crime, Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri did not become a public part of the cartel. Authorities never proved that he helped with drug business. He stayed mostly on his farms, away from city violence.
Even so, money from Pablo clearly reached the parents. Abel kept a modest lifestyle, but he bought land and later owned expensive property. Many observers say he accepted gifts, yet he did not plan or lead crimes himself.
The 1984 kidnapping
One of the biggest events in Abel’s life was his kidnapping in September 1984. Armed men stopped his truck near his farm Villa Hermilda in La Ceja, Antioquia, tied him up, and took him away. At first, they claimed they were special agents hunting Pablo.
The kidnappers were really a local gang called “Los Trucos.” They demanded a huge ransom. Pablo’s men tracked them by watching for purchases of Abel’s heart medicine. After about 18 days, cartel gunmen attacked the hideout, killed several kidnappers, and freed Abel alive.
Relationship with Pablo Escobar
Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri stayed silent in public about his son. Unlike Hermilda, who often defended Pablo, Abel avoided interviews and politics. Family members describe him as calm, discreet, and more comfortable with potatoes than headlines.
Pablo’s son, Juan Pablo Escobar Henao (today Sebastián Marroquín), writes that his grandfather would send sacks of potatoes every month to show care. This small act fits Abel’s character: steady love, not loud speech.
Wealth and inheritance
After Pablo became rich, Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri gained major assets. When he died, court papers valued his inheritance at about 1.141 billion Colombian pesos in 2001, with debts over 300 million pesos. The numbers were official and may be lower than real market value.
His properties included the farm “El Pantanillo” and at least 13 plots of land in Antioquia. He also owned a luxury penthouse in El Poblado, Medellín, with terraces, a small pool, sauna, and Turkish bath. The state did not seize these goods because Abel was not charged as a cartel member.
Grandchildren: Manuela and Juan Pablo
Searches like “Manuela Escobar Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri” connect Abel to Pablo’s children. Abel was the grandfather of Juan Pablo and Manuela Escobar Henao. Because Pablo’s family lived in hiding, the grandchildren likely saw Abel only rarely.
Still, Abel’s name stayed part of their family identity. In later years, Juan Pablo spoke of him with respect, calling him simple and kind compared with the chaos around Pablo.
Death of Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri
People often ask “Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri died” or “date of death.” He passed away in October 2001 in Antioquia, most likely on 25 October 2001. Reports suggest he died from natural illness, probably lung problems, not violence.
Abel was buried in Cementerio Jardines Montesacro in Itagüí, in the same grave as Pablo. The shared tombstone shows Pablo’s dates (1949–1993) and Abel’s (1914–2001). For Abel, family ties stayed strong even after tragedy.
How pop culture depicts him
Outside of news and books, Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri appears in TV and film versions of Pablo’s life. Series like Narcos and Colombian dramas sometimes show him leaving early or being harsh. These stories are partly fiction and may change timelines for drama.
Real sources show a man who stayed rural and distant from crime. His quietness makes him easy to simplify in films, but the true Abel was more complex: a poor farmer caught in his son’s storm.
Life in Antioquia during his time
Abel lived through a Colombia that was changing fast. In the 1930s and 1940s, Antioquia had little industry in rural zones. Families survived on small farms, local markets, and help from neighbors. Roads were rough, and many children left school early to work.
This harsh setting explains why Abel valued land so much. Owning even a small plot meant security. It also explains why Hermilda pushed for education. She wanted her children to escape the cycle of poverty that had shaped their parents.
Family tensions after Pablo’s rise
When Pablo entered crime, the family faced pressure from all sides. Police watched them, enemies threatened them, and the public judged them. Some siblings stayed close to Pablo, while others tried to live normal lives.
Roberto Escobar later said their mother trusted Pablo’s promises, but their father preferred silence. Abel did not like being surrounded by armed men, and he disliked the attention that came with cartel wealth. These tensions grew stronger after the kidnapping.
Myths and common online questions
Because he was private, many myths spread online. Some blogs say he was a big cartel investor, or that he died in a revenge attack. Reliable sources do not support these claims. Most evidence points to a man who stayed outside the drug trade.
Another common myth is that he abandoned the family when Pablo was a child. TV dramas sometimes suggest this, but real reports show he worked for many years to support the household before returning to the countryside later in life.
What his story teaches
Abel’s life shows how crime can grow from normal communities. He was not rich or powerful at first. He was a worker who wanted stability, like millions of parents. Yet his family became tied to a global drug war.
His story also shows the limits of parents’ control. Even a strict or loving father cannot fully shape a child’s choices. Understanding this helps readers see Pablo’s rise not as destiny, but as a mix of personal decisions and social pressure.
Legacy and meaning today
Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri is remembered less for what he did and more for what he represents. He shows the rural roots of Pablo Escobar and the poverty that shaped many Colombian families. Abel’s life also raises hard questions about family responsibility.
He benefited from Pablo’s money but did not seek fame or bloodshed. In public memory, he stands as the silent father who watched his son become a monster, while still remaining a father.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri?
He was a Colombian farmer and the father of Pablo Escobar. - When was Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri born?
He was born on 14 March 1914 in Antioquia, Colombia. - How many children did Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri have?
He had seven children, including Pablo Escobar and Roberto Escobar. - How did Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri die?
He died in October 2001, likely from a natural lung illness. - Where is Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri buried?
He is buried in Itagüí, Antioquia, in the same grave as Pablo Escobar.
Final thoughts
To understand Abel de Jesús Escobar Echeverri, we must see both sides: the humble farmer and the man linked forever to Colombia’s darkest criminal age. His story is not about power, but about family, land, and survival in a violent time. Knowing him helps us understand the world that produced Pablo Escobar, and the people who lived in his shadow.
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