Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío is known as the mother of notorious Columbian Drug Lord Pablo Escobar. While his son became one of the most frightened and powerful criminals in history, Hermilda led herself to lead a life marked with devotion, flexibility, and unwavering loyalty to his family.

She played an important role in shaping Escobar’s personality and remained his staunch protector until the very end. This article examines Harmilda’s life, her influence on her son, and the methods she used to combat the legacy of one of the world’s most infamous criminals.

Early life and family background

In the early 20th century, Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío grew up in a traditional Colombian family. A deeply religious and conservative environment shaped its values and beliefs. She made his career a respected profession as a school teacher in Colombian society at that time.

She married Abel de Jesus Escobar, a farmer and watchman, and together, they raised their children in Rionegro, Antioquia, before going to Envigado near Medellin. Hermilda ran a strict but loving household and emphasized discipline, education, and hard work. Despite financial conflicts, she created ambition and flexibility in her children. However, no discipline prepared her for the path Pablo would eventually take.

Hermilda de los Dolores Gaviria Berrío Children

Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío had seven children, including Pablo Escobar. When Pablo became infamous, her other children lived a tranquil life. However, people remember her mainly for his deep devotion to Pablo and efforts to reshape his image.

In her book “El Otro Pablo,” she portrayed him as a loving son who cared for the needy despite his criminal activities. He often reduced his violent tasks and insisted on how he helped Colombian communities. Even after his collapse and murder in 1993, Hermilda was loyal to Pablo.

She rarely spoke publicly about her other children and has very little documentation about what is written or said about them. Most people who know about the Escobar family come from Pablo’s brother, Roberto Escobar, and other relatives, including testimony, interviews, and accounts.

Mother’s Influence on Pablo Escobar

From an early age, Pablo Escobar displayed intelligence, charisma, and a hunger for power. Harmilda nurtured his ambitions, encouraging him to try more than her minor life. However, some accounts show that he ignored or excused his early behavior. As a school student, she valued education and had high expectations for her children. But Pablo influenced money and academics. Even when he engaged in minor crimes as a teenager, Harmilda maintained a protective stance.

She saw him as a leader, a visionary who would rise above her financial struggles. She continued to support him when Pablo infected the smuggling of drugs on a large scale from short-term smuggling. She could not agree with every aspect of his empire, but she never publicly condemned his actions. Instead, she saw him as a provider who ensured the family’s financial stability.

The Rise of Pablo Escobar and Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío Loyalty

During the 1970s and 1980s, Pablo Escobar created a Medlin Cartel with unprecedented wealth and power. His operations filled the United States with cocaine, making him one of the world’s wealthiest men. While governments and law enforcement agencies made him a ruthless criminal, Hermilda saw him differently. For her, Pablo was a caring son who expelled his family from poverty. He praised his generosity and desire to build houses for low-income people, construct soccer fields, and invest in public works. She firmly believed that people misunderstood him and saw him as Robin Hood instead of a violent drug lord.

Despite the increasing evidence of the crimes of Escobar, she remains the most vocal supporter of his. Even though the authorities linked him with countless murders, bombings, and acts of terror, she refused to accept his dark side. In her eyes, he was a loving son who did what he did to provide for his family and community.

Fall of Pablo Escobar, the Drug Lord

As law enforcement intensified its hunting for Escobar in the early 1990s, their world began to dislodge. Once, the drug Lord found himself on a consecutive run. Harmilda and the rest of her family put immense pressure on the authorities. The Colombian government launched an all-out war against Escobar in collaboration with American forces and rival Cartels. His enemies killed his colleagues, seized his properties, and targeted his loved ones.

Despite the chaos, Harmilda stood with her son. She stayed in Medeline, and while his rule was ending, she refused to leave him. She believed he could survive, exclude his enemies, and recover his empire. However, on 2 December 1993, the Colombian police shot and killed Pablo Escobar during a shelling. His death marked the end of an era, but for Hermilda, it entered a painful new reality.

Life After the Death of Pablo Escobar

Losing a child destroys any mother, but losing a son like Pablo Escobar comes with unique challenges. While most of the people in Colombia rejoiced in the fall of the world’s most notorious drug Lord, Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío deeply mourned. She never accepted the official story of his death. In the interview, she insisted that his son was not killed, but he had taken his life to avoid capturing. This belief aligned with Pablo’s statements before his death, in which he claimed that he would die by his own hands, taken alive instead.

After his death, the government continued to target Escobar’s family. The authorities seized the property, banned their movements, and kept them under surveillance. Harmilda fought to save whatever remained and advocated the right to live without harassment from her family. Despite condemning his son’s world, she never spoke ill of him. She defended his heritage, which insisted that he was a good man who was forced into a life of crime due to social inequalities. By her last days, she was very loyal to his memory.

Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío Controversial Legacy

Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío’s legacy is a matter of debate. Some see her as a dedicated mother who refuses to leave her son; even his sins do not matter. Others see him as an envelope that closed one eye for Pablo Escobar’s atrocities. Her unwavering loyalty raises complex questions about her parents’ love.

Can a mother see evil in her child? Or does love distort reality and allow it to justify the most terrible tasks? She never participated directly in his son’s crimes, but refusing to condemn him contributed to Escobar’s myth as a wrong hero.

Her public statements are fed in legends, reducing his violent acts, which still entices people. Even in death, his son’s influence lingers in Colombia and beyond. His story appears in books, films, and television series, often romanticizing his rise to power. Hermilda’s role in shaping and defending that heritage ensures that people remember her name as part of history.

Conclusion

Hermilda De Los Dolores Gaviria Berrío lived a life of contradictions. As a mother, she loved and dedicated herself to her family, fiercely protecting them despite overwhelming evidence against her son. As a public person, she became reluctant to admit the full extent of Pablo Escobar’s misdeeds.

Her story serves as a reminder of how intricate human relationships can be. Unexpected conflicts between morality, affection, and loyalty usually leave a legacy that is neither good nor bad. Her son’s actions eventually influenced Hermilda Gaviria’s life. Whether as a protector, an ambassador, or simply a mother who has been blinded by love, it remains an essential piece of Escobar’s saga – one that continues to fascinate and divide opinions to this day.