Victoria Eugenia Henao details life with Pablo Escobar

Victoria Eugenia Henao, known as María Isabel Santos Caballero, has provided a detailed account of her life with the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in a recent interview with Pedro Buerbaum. Henao described their relationship beginning in the La Paz neighborhood when she was a teenager and Escobar was 23.

She detailed the transition from a humble beginning to a life defined by violence, persecution, and uncertainty. Henao noted that the 1984 assassination of Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara Bonilla marked a significant turning point for her family. Following Escobar’s death in 1993, she described being caught in a conflict between the Colombian state, the Cali Cartel, and paramilitary groups.

To protect her son, Sebastián Marroquín, Henao stated she had to manage the surrender of assets to the state and utilize hidden funds to cover the costs of the war waged against her husband. She eventually entered exile to ensure her family's survival and education, living in relative obscurity for over three decades.