Pablo Escobar, illustrious Colombian drug lord and leader of the Medellin cartel, passed away at the young age of 44 on 1993-12-02. Born in 1949 in Rionegro, Colombia, Pablo Escobar rose to fame in the 1970s by leading a prosperous criminal organization. Over the next two decades, he became a major player in the international cocaine industry, controlling 84% of the world's cocaine trade at the height of his power. Escobar's spell of influence was not without turbulence - his reign cost the lives of thousands of innocents and will forever leave a dark stain on Colombia's history. His legacy was equally controversial, making him simultaneously a folk hero and a public enemy of Colombia. Although no one will forget the turbulent path Pablo Escobar left behind, his memory will stay alive in Latin America where he continues to serve as an enduring symbol of defiant ambition.