In 1982, 33-year-old Virginia Vallejo was a well-known journalist and TV personality in Colombia. She managed to capture the attention of none other than Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug lord. They started having an affair, which ended in 1987. She was the first journalist to get him in front of a camera.
Virginia Vallejo was born on August 26, 1949, to a prestigious family. Some of her family members were a general, a finance minister, and European nobles.
In the late 1960s, she briefly worked as an English teacher until she was offered to work on a television program. She made her debut as a host and presenter for several TV programs in 1972.
In January 1978, she became the anchorwoman on a 24-hour news program. She became a familiar face across South America. Pablo Escobar saw her famous pantyhose commercial for Medias Di Lido in 1982 and was immediately infatuated by her.
Even though he was already married, he instructed his associates to set up a meeting with Virginia.
She visited his Hacienda Nápoles villa in Medellín, Colombia’s largest city in the Antioquia province, in 1982 and fell for his charms. With her help, he was able to promote himself and became a major public figure over the next five years.
“I didn’t conquer Pablo; Pablo conquered me. I knew he was married, and we agreed that our relationship would be completely secret,” Virginia said in a previous interview.
Virginia portrayed him as a rich man who was generous to the poor. She interviewed him on her new program in 1983, casting him in a positive light.
In the interview, he talked about his charity work, Medellín Sin Tugurios. Afterward, newspapers called him “the Robin Hood of Medellín.” The whole nation knew his name.
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Over the course of their five-year affair, Virginia experienced a life of luxury. She met up with Escobar in fancy hotels, had access to his jet, and spent lavishly when shopping. Their affair ended in 1987, when Escobar learned that he was not her only lover.
Her popularity faded, and many elite friends and figures shunned her. She remained out of the spotlight until July 1996. She had moved to the United States and decided to expose the Colombian elites who had shunned her.
On TV, she named the businesses that had benefited from drug earnings and accused several politicians and former presidents of working with cartels for their own gain.
Her tell-all interview endangered her life, making it so that she would never be able to return to Colombia. The U.S. offered her political asylum, and she remains there in exile to this day.
Virginia is now 76 years old and lives in Miami. While she does not regret her affair with Escobar, she does regret not taking advantage of his fortune.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
