The Crimes of the Infamous Cali Drug Cartel

Essay by DWNWDIZEZHigh School, 10th gradeD+, January 1997

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This summary of articles deals with the Orejuela brothers, Gilberto and

Miguel Rodriguez, the leaders of the infamous Cali drug cartel found in Colombia.

The two brothers have been drug trafficking for many years, but this journal

chronicles their attempt to control the Colombian government over the past several

months.

The brothers were caught for drug trafficking late in the summer of 1995 and

were sentenced to 9 and 10 years with a chance of a 50% reduction for working while

in prison. That possible 50% reduction is thanks to a law they lobbied for. While in

jail, however, the leaders of the world's largest drug syndicate started their

manipulation of the Colombian government. The first acts the brothers made were

bribing congressmen to vote against anti-narcotic laws, and running their drug

syndicate using faxes and cellular phones all while they were in jail. The police

eventually caught on, but little could be done.

The next act that reportedly pointed that the Cali drug cartel was responsible

for was the assasination of Odin Guttierrez Rico, a special prosecuter of high profile

drug cases. Guttierrez was shot nearly 140 times, and as if that were not enough, the

assasins then proceeded to run over his body with the getaway van. Guttierrez was

the eighth official to be slain in the past 11 months. This was one of the first articles

of extreme violence that with some researching pointed to the Cali drug lords.

The next thing on the list of the Cali cartel was to bribe one of Colombia's

highest ranking leaders, President Ernesto Samper himself. The brothers reportedly

paid President Samper 6 million dollars to use towards his presidential campaign.

Despite getting away with all this, the United States was able to strike its first blow as

it shutdown a...