One of my favourite TV series of all time, ‘Breaking Bad’, piqued my interest in drug lords. It was through this movie I got drawn to the raw, gritty realism of drug-related stories.
Drug-related movies aren’t just about violence and crime. They delve deep into the human psyche, exploring the motivations and desires that drive individuals down this dark path.
The characters often face impossible choices, grappling with morality, loyalty, and the consequences of their actions. This conflict makes them relatable, even if their choices are reprehensible.
Consider Pablo Escobar’s character in “Narcos.” I read everything I could find about him online. His fierce ambition, skillful leadership, and sheer audacity painted a picture of a man who was both frightening and strangely fascinating.
El Chapo, the ‘Maradona’ of the drug trade, arrived next. His outrageous character, daring jail breaks, and seemingly unbreakable network solidified his status as the most insane mob boss, in my opinion.
He was a skilled criminal who functioned on a level that defied explanation, fusing mythology with reality.
I was taken aback by the news of the death of Consuelo Loera, the 95-year-old mother of “El Chapo” who is currently serving a life sentence in the United States.
While we were inundated with stories about the Sinaloa Cartel and El Chapo’s exploits, media outlets never delved into the despair of a mother witnessing her son become the world’s most wanted criminal.
Like all mothers, I’ll like to believe that Consuelo Loera loved her son. She raised him in the rugged mountains of Sinaloa, Mexico, a region steeped in poverty and lack of opportunity.
Perhaps it was this very lack that pushed El Chapo towards a life of crime, a life that would eventually make him one of the most powerful men on earth.
As El Chapo’s power grew, so did the violence that surrounded him. Thousands were killed in the drug wars he helped orchestrate, leaving a trail of shattered families and a nation scarred.
Yet, through it all, Consuelo Loera remained steadfast. She visited her son in prison, spoke publicly of her love for him, and defended his actions.
Some might see this as blind devotion, a refusal to acknowledge the darkness that consumed her son.
But others might see it as a mother’s profound love, a love that transcends judgment and circumstance; a love that, in the face of unimaginable horror and tragedy, held onto the hope of redemption, of seeing her son again as the boy she once knew.
Consuelo Loera’s life was a paradox. She was a mother who loved fiercely, yet her son inflicted suffering on countless others.
She lived a life of relative simplicity, while her son amassed unimaginable wealth. She witnessed the worst of humanity, yet held onto a glimmer of hope.
Her death marks the end of an era, a closing chapter in the story of a family forever intertwined with the illicit world of drugs.
This story however puts into proper perspective, the complex nature of human relationships, the power of love, and the burden of blood that can bind us to unimaginable darkness.
We certainly cannot erase the past, but we can learn from it.
The life of Consuelo Loera should serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of crime, and the need to create a world where mothers do not have to bury their children, and children do not have to follow in the footsteps of their parents towards destruction.
Olufemi Peters
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