Kapitel 49: THE Cathedral:- PART2
Pablo lacked the official ID necessary for a surrendering person. To get citizenship papers, he was supposed to go to an office at the Civil Registry, which was impossible for a man with so many enemies. His lawyers asked the government to issue citizenship papers without him having to make an appearance.
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The solution proposed was for him to identify himself with his fingerprints and to bring an old notarised ID, while declaring that his new ID had been lost.
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On June 18, the Monkey called Villamizar at midnight, waking him up. Villamizar took the elevator up to Aseneth's apartment, where a party with accordion music was in full swing. Wrestling his way through the revellers, he was stopped by Aseneth.
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"I know now who's calling you. Be careful because one false step and they'll have your balls." She escorted him to her bedroom, where the phone was ringing.
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Above the ruckus, Villamizar heard. "Ready. Come to Medellín first thing tomorrow."
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At 5 am, Villamizar appeared at the dwellings of Father Garcia, who was in the oratory finishing mass. "Well, Father, let's go. We're flying to Medellín because Escobar is ready to surrender."
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On the Civil Aeronautics plane were representatives of the government. Travelling with the priest was his nephew, who assisted him. They were met at the Medellín airport by Martha Ochoa and Jorge Ochoa's wife, Maria Lia. The officials went to the capitol building.
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Villamizar and Father Garcia headed for Maria Lia's apartment.
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Over breakfast, the arrangements for Pablo's surrender were finalised. The priest was told that Pablo was on his way, employing his usual evasive techniques, travelling sometimes by car and at other times walking around checkpoints. Pablo's imminent surrender unnerved the priest so much that one of his contact lenses fell out and he stood on it. To remedy his despair, Martha Ochoa took him to an optician to get a pair of glasses. On the way there and back they were stopped at numerous checkpoints, where the guards saluted Father Garcia for bringing peace to Medellin.
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At 2:30 pm, the Monkey showed up and said to Villamizar, "Ready. Let's go to the capitol building. You take your car and I'll take mine."
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At the capitol building, the women waited outside. Putting on dark glasses and a golfer's hat, the Monkey disguised himself. Misidentifying the Monkey, a bystander called the government to report that Pablo had just surrendered at the capitol building.
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About to leave the building, the Monkey received a call on a two-way radio notifying him that a military plane was heading for the city, carrying injured soldiers. To keep the airspace open for Pablo, Villamizar had the military ambulance rerouted and repeated his order to keep the sky clear.
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"Not even birds will fly over Medellín today," the defence minister wrote in his diary.
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After 3 pm, a helicopter lifted from the capitol building's roof with the government's representatives and a popular journalist. Ten minutes later, an order was despatched to the Monkey's radio. A second helicopter took off with the Monkey, Villamizar and Father Garcia. As they flew, a radio broadcast announced that the government's position on extradition had been defeated in the Constituent Assembly by a vote of fifty-one to thirteen, with five abstentions. It was official confirmation of Pablo's demand for non-extradition.
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The reversal on extradition had come about at a time when President George HW Bush was mustering support for the invasion of Iraq. Colombia had used its seat on the United Nations Security Council to vote against the attack. Bush had wanted the Colombian government to reverse its position. Dozens of traffickers had been extradited to America, which was still providing arms and soldiers to Colombia. In a quid pro quo, the Colombian president had voted to attack Iraq, while reversing its policy on extradition.
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The Monkey directed the helicopter to Pablo's location, a mansion behind a grove, with a soccer pitch and tropical-flower gardens. "Put it down over there. Don't turn off the engine."
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As the helicopter descended, the armed bodyguards on the field became apparent, encircling a bearded man with long hair. Over a dozen approached the helicopter. Wearing tennis shoes and a light-blue jacket, the man walked with a carefree stride. Thick-set and tanned, Pablo said goodbye to and hugged the nearest bodyguards. He told two of his closest bodyguards, Otto and Mugre, to come with him.
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In the helicopter, he offered his hand to Villamizar. "How are you, Dr Villamizar?"
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"How's it going, Pablo?"
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Smiling, Pablo thanked Father Garcia. He sat next to his bodyguards. Upon noticing the Monkey, he said, "And you, in the middle of this right to the end." His friendly tone left the passengers wondering whether he had praised or chastised the Monkey.
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Smiling, the Monkey shook his head. "Ah, Chief."
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Based on Pablo's tranquillity and self-control, Villamizar's first impression of Pablo was that he possessed a dangerous level of confidence bordering on the supernatural.
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Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein