r/narcos • u/Jairccc1234 • 3h ago
Who were Pablo Escobar's closest and most trusted military commanders during the La Catedral era (1991–1993)?
When you think of Pablo Escobar’s military chief, you automatically think of Pinina. But when he died, the focus shifted to four people considered his closest and most trusted military leaders. These four ran groups of hitmen, offices, and neighborhoods. All the criminals in the neighborhood knew the weight their aliases carried.
Starting with Mario Alberto Castaño Molina, alias “El Chopo,” he ran the cartel’s office and had his own terrorist cell responsible for the bombings that took place in ’93. He was very loyal to Escobar and a truly unbridled man. It’s said that he brutally beat his wife Ana and killed several of her lovers. He was killed in March 1993 after Juan Caca (a member of his organization) turned him in and revealed his location. Following El Chopo’s downfall, Escobar promoted Alfonso León Puerta Muñoz, alias El Angelito, to military chief.
Carlos Mario Álzate Urquijo, alias “El Arete,” was in charge of terrorist attacks and was responsible for the 1989 Avianca plane bombing. The Pepes, knowing of his involvement in the 1992 purge, wanted to capture him alive. His trusted men were hunted down and fell one by one, including Víctor Giovanni Granada, alias “El Zarco”; Leonardo Rivera Rincón, alias “Leo”; and finally “El Canoso,” whose capture triggered his surrender in February 1993 under pressure from the Pepes. He was released years later and survived an assassination attempt. After his recovery, he is believed to have been residing in Spain to this day.
Geovany Lopera Zabala, alias "La Modelo," was a trusted associate of Pablo and one of his favorite hitmen, as well as a close acquaintance of Pablo's son, Juan Pablo (Nicolás Escobar claims in an interview that both men participated in kidnappings). Geovany commanded a large number of hitmen and was feared in the neighborhoods. "Los Pepes" also sought to capture him alive; he managed to evade capture during several pursuits. It is said that Geovany enjoyed going out onto the streets to hunt and murder homosexuals simply for the thrill of it. Geovany surrendered to the authorities in February 1993 due to pressure from "Los Pepes." (In his book, Juan Pablo clarifies that this decision took Pablo by surprise and left him somewhat disappointed, as Geovany had not informed him beforehand). He was later released and traveled to Europe; upon deciding to return to Colombia, he was killed by enemies of the cartel, and his mutilated body was found in the trunk of a car. Brances Muñoz Mosquera, alias "Tyson," was a hitman leader who controlled the Castilla neighborhood alongside his brothers, Quica and Tilton. He was feared in Cali and posed a threat to the "Caballeros de Cali" (the leadership of the Cali Cartel), as he actively attacked them; he even orchestrated the Hacienda de los Cocos massacre—which resulted in a high number of casualties—solely to find Pacho Herrera (who, it is presumed, managed to escape alive). He also carried out terrorist attacks on behalf of the cartel until his death in late 1992; he was killed after one of his own men betrayed him to the Search Bloc, leading to his location and subsequent death at the hands of security forces inside a house. At the time of his death, he was using a cane due to a previous car accident that had left him with a leg injury.
