A woman who engaged in a five-year romantic relationship with infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar has shared her sole regret from their time together.
Virginia Vallejo disclosed that she was enticed into starting an illicit affair with the Colombian cocaine trafficker due to his charming and sentimental words before his demise in 1993 at the age of 44. The former model and TV host, aged 76, praised Escobar as a “monster” and spoke fondly of their bond, expressing no remorse for loving him. However, she admitted regret for not seizing an opportunity that Escobar had presented to her.
During an interview preceding the release of a new revealing book, Vallejo mentioned that she had no regrets about her past relationships with her ex-husbands or Escobar, whom she described as transforming into a monster. Initially documenting her experiences with the drug lord in the book ‘Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar’ in 2007, Vallejo has now unveiled further secrets about their affair.
Speaking from her residence in Miami, where she resides in exile after testifying against several of Escobar’s associates, Vallejo expressed regret for not leveraging his wealth. She recalled a moment when Escobar offered her anything she desired, to which she responded by declining, a decision she now regrets, wishing she had asked for more.
Vallejo first encountered Escobar in 1982 at his Hacienda Nápoles estate in Medellín, the largest city in Colombia’s Antioquia province. At the time, she was romantically involved with Aníbal Turbay, the nephew of then-President Julio César Turbay, before being swept off her feet by Escobar.
Their relationship blossomed six months later as Vallejo succumbed to his charming and affectionate words. She emphasized that their affair was kept strictly confidential, meeting primarily at the Hacienda or his penthouse. Vallejo disregarded Escobar’s criminal activities, believing his intentions were to alleviate poverty in Medellín. She also credited Escobar for aiding in her divorce from her second spouse, Argentine producer David Stevel, through intimidation tactics.
Amidst their relationship, Escobar showered Vallejo with gifts, including a thousand orchids and settling her debts. Vallejo defended Escobar’s actions, asserting that he had rescued her from adversity, supported her financially, and facilitated her divorce. Refuting the notion that she was exclusively Escobar’s lover, Vallejo portrayed their relationship as mutual and characterized by nicknames of endearment. She recounted Escobar referring to her as his “little panther” and later as his “clean soul” towards the conclusion of their liaison.