PODCAST · history
The Sicario Effect
by Exclave Media
The Sicario Effect is a new series from Exclave Media. Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant and The Medellin Cartel's chief sicario (assassin). He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. In 2014, after 23 years in prison, Popeye was released. Rather than lay low and enjoy his new freedom, he took to the internet and became a social media star, "Popeye the Repentant". And as we discovered, that's just the beginning. This is a story about crime, drugs, corruption, and a country's fight to control their narrative about the past, present, and future.
Episodes
-
Episode 19: Amnesia
What does the future hold in store for Popeye? With his platform muted, will someone take his place? Or will a different narrative emerge? One thing is for sure in Colombia, the future will be determined by those who control the narrative. www.thesicarioeffect.com
-
Episode 18: Law Abiding Citizen
Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was once the Medellin Cartel's chief hitman and Pablo Escobar's most trusted lieutenant. After 23 years in jail-he was released and became a social media star. Since interviewing him in November of 2017, we watched Popeye grab headlines and create...
-
Episode 17: Controlling the Narrative
Happy New Year! We're back! Popeye continues to make news. This time by tweeting his support to an ultra right-wing group in Spain. Any remaining speculation about his possible return to jail seems to have completely faded away. Following Popeye the last six months has proven one thing: The real...
-
Holiday Message & Update
Some holiday greetings and quick schedule update.
-
Episode 16: The Home Office
April of 2018, five months after being detained in police raid that led to the capture of the alleged head of La Oficina De Envigado, Juan Carlos Mesa, public debate over wether Popeye should return to prison had disappeared.Regardless, his affiliation with La Oficina, gives us a glimpse into one...
-
Episode 15: Narcoculture
The most powerful thing Pablo Escobar did was leave behind a narrative. The young, enterprising Paisa smuggler, who became richer and more powerful than all of the elites in Colombia. It appeals to the masses, especially the disenfranchised. Unfortunately, the narrative often ignores the many...
-
Episode 14: Luck of the Draw
The Medellin Cartel's victims and their families exist more as statistics than real people. Narcoterrorism has touched the lives of everyone in Colombia. Behind the stories of the plotting and scheming, are the people who were at the wrong place and the wrong time, just living their lives. Mónica...
-
Bonus Episode: Reaction & Theory
Bonus Episode: Because of the holiday, episode 14 will be out next Monday, Dec 3, 2018. In the meantime, please enjoy this "behind the scenes" bonus episode. A few days after Popeye was detained by police at a party for Colombia's most wanted man, Jonathan and his team discuss the breaking news…
more -
Episode 13: Esteban
Esteban Orozco is an accomplished screenwriter and producer. Most recently he was a writer on the hit Netflix series, "El Chapo". From day one, Esteban provided us with insight into Medellin and it's culture of crime. After returning to LA, Jonathan invited Esteban to sit down to discuss and help...
-
Preview Ep 13
Preview of Episode 13. Coming Monday November 19, 2018.
-
Episode 12: Surprise Party
December 2017- Los Angeles. Shortly after returning from Medellin, we start to examine Popeye's claims of repentance, when a startling event occurs, sending this story in an entirely new and unexpected direction. It all starts with a birthday party, for a man called "Tom".
-
Preview Ep 12
Preview of Episode 12. Coming Monday November 12, 2018.
-
Episode 11: Perspective
Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez was once Escobar's chief assassin. He committed unspeakable acts of violence. Now after 23 years in prison, he's out. For a lot of people this isn't enough. But Popeye would disagree and say he served his debt to society. But he's not your ordinary criminal. And...
-
Preview Ep 11
Preview of Episode 11. Coming Monday November 5, 2018.
-
Episode 10: Empire of Blood and Fire
The Medellin Cartel was like a cult and Pablo Escobar, its leader, but by 1989 the façade of invincibility would crack. The hunt to capture Pablo was intensifying, and the barriers protecting him would soon begin to fall. After learning the cops were tracking his own men, Pablo shifts his…
more -
Preview Ep 10
Preview of Episode 10. Coming Monday October 29, 2018.
-
Episode 9: The Last Straw
By August of 1989, Luis Carlos Galan was the most popular politician in Colombia, overshadowing his rivals in the presidential election. He understood the nation's problems and offered hope for the future. Galan supported extradition and viewed narcotrafficking as a threat to the country's...
-
Preview Ep 9
Preview of Episode 9. Coming Monday October 22, 2018.
-
Episode 8: Force Majeure
In January of 1988, over the course of eight days, Popeye directed and personally participated in a two-stage terrorist operation which included the kidnapping of then Bogota mayoral candidate, (and future President), Andres Pastrana, and the kidnapping of Colombia's Inspector General, Carlos…
more -
Preview Ep 8
Preview of Episode 8. Coming Monday October 15, 2018.
-
Episode 7: Growing Up Colombia
If you were born in Medellin or lived there in the 1980's, odds are there was at least one person in your family connected to the Narco-trade or touched by its violence. These are just a few of those stories...
-
Preview Ep 7
Preview of Episode 7. Coming Monday October 8, 2018.
-
Episode 6: Class Project
There is a phenomenon taking place in Medellin today; Narcotourism. Fueled by shows like "Narcos" and Popeye's "Surviving Escobar", tourists are flocking to Medellin to hear stories and visit landmarks. Troubled by the storyline of these narcotour's, an intrepid journalism professor seeks to…
more -
Preview Ep 6
Preview of Episode 6. Coming Monday October 1, 2018.
-
Episode 5: No Limits
"Pablo Escobar was an evil machine…" Popeye gives a firsthand account of Escobar's pattern of evil, beginning in 1986, with the killing of pilot Barry Seal, to bombing government buildings, to Avianca. Among all the violence, Pablo looked for ways to innovate his business...
-
Preview Ep 5
Preview of Episode 5. Coming Monday September 24, 2018.
-
Episode 4: Holy Warrior
Pablo Escobar's top assassin, Popeye, addresses a number of things, from his reasons on why he became a criminal, to the war between the Medellin Cartel and the Colombian police, to international assassination plots.
-
Preview Ep 4
Preview of Episode 4. Coming Monday September 17, 2018.
-
Episode 3: Los Magicos
1976-Medellin, Colombia. While Popeye contemplates leaving Itagui to join the navy, miles away near the border of Peru, a determined young man is stopped and arrested while transporting 39 pounds of illegal coca paste. After unsuccessful attempts to bribe the judge, he tries a new approach…
more -
Episode 2: DNA
In the poor barrios of Itagui, Colombia, Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez grows up with violence all around him, including his own home. Obsessed with gangsters and guns, he quickly learns tough lessons on the streets. Searching for a way out, he finds that all roads lead back to Medellin.
-
Preview Ep 2
Preview for episode 2. Releasing on September 3rd!!
-
Episode 1: Popeye the Sicario
Meet Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye". He was Pablo Escobar's trusted lieutenant and chief sicario (assassin) for the Medellin Cartel. He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. That's just the beginning.
-
Trailer 2
Premiering August 27 The Sicario Effect. A new podcast series from Exclave Media. Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was Pablo Escobar's trusted lieutenant and chief sicario (assassin) for the Medellin Cartel. He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. After his…
more -
Trailer
The Sicario Effect is a new series from Exclave Media. Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant and The Medellin Cartel's chief sicario (assassin). He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. In 2014, after 23 years in prison, Popeye was...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Sicario Effect is a new series from Exclave Media. Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant and The Medellin Cartel's chief sicario (assassin). He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. In 2014, after 23 years in prison, Popeye was released. Rather than lay low and enjoy his new freedom, he took to the internet and became a social media star, "Popeye the Repentant". And as we discovered, that's just the beginning. This is a story about crime, drugs, corruption, and a country's fight to control their narrative about the past, present, and future.
HOSTED BY
Exclave Media
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Sicario Effect have?
The Sicario Effect currently has 34 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Sicario Effect about?
The Sicario Effect is a new series from Exclave Media. Jhon Jairo Velasquez Vasquez alias "Popeye" was Pablo Escobar's top lieutenant and The Medellin Cartel's chief sicario (assassin). He's publicly admitted to having personally killed 300 people. In 2014, after 23 years in prison, Popeye was...
How often does The Sicario Effect release new episodes?
The Sicario Effect has 34 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Sicario Effect?
You can listen to The Sicario Effect on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Sicario Effect?
The Sicario Effect is created and hosted by Exclave Media.
URL copied to clipboard!