Thu Jun 12 07:30:00 UTC 2025: **News Article Summary:**
Former Pablo Escobar lover Virginia Vallejo, now 75 and living in Miami, recently spoke exclusively with SEMANA magazine. She is launching a new book, “Alucinante País Dorado” (Hallucinatory Golden Country), and revealed previously unheard details regarding the deaths of Luis Carlos Galán, Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, and the Palace of Justice siege. Vallejo claims Escobar confessed to financing the M-19 guerrilla group to burn records related to his crimes during the Palace of Justice siege. She also reiterates her belief that Escobar ordered the assassination of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla and that Alberto Santofimio instigated the murder of Luis Carlos Galán. Vallejo, who testified under oath in these cases, says she survived an attempted assassination in Miami related to her testimony. She also addresses criticisms and accusations from Escobar’s family and discusses her life after Escobar, her new book (prohibited in Colombia), and her experiences as a political exile and writer.
**News Article:**
**Ex-Escobar Lover Virginia Vallejo, 75, Unveils Bombshells in New Interview**
**Miami, FL** – Virginia Vallejo, the former lover of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, has given a revealing exclusive interview to SEMANA magazine from her home in Miami. The 75-year-old author is preparing to release her new book, “Alucinante País Dorado,” and used the opportunity to drop several bombshells related to some of Colombia’s most infamous tragedies.
Vallejo, who was granted political asylum in the United States in 2006 after testifying in high-profile cases, claims Escobar confessed to financing the M-19 guerrilla group to the tune of $2 million to storm the Palace of Justice in 1985 and destroy records implicating him in criminal activity. The siege resulted in the deaths of dozens of judges, civilians, and guerrillas.
“Pablo participated in the Palace of Justice takeover and paid two million dollars to Iván Marino Ospina and the commanders of the M-19 to burn his files that were in the Palace,” Vallejo stated.
She also remains firm in her conviction that Escobar ordered the assassination of Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, the Minister of Justice who cracked down on drug trafficking, and that Alberto Santofimio, a powerful politician, instigated the murder of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán.
Vallejo said she even tried to save Rodrigo Lara Bonilla’s life by refusing to show a compromising cheque.
“I’m convinced it was him, today I have total certainty,” Vallejo said of Escobar’s involvement in Lara Bonilla’s death.
Vallejo claims she survived an attempted assassination in Miami while on her way to provide testimony in the Galán case. A car intentionally rammed her vehicle, leaving her injured.
The author also addressed criticism from Escobar’s family, dismissing their claims about her as malicious fabrications. She maintained that she has lived a dignified life since leaving Escobar in 1987, making a living as a writer.
“I am a writer, a political exile, the most translated writer after Gabriel García Márquez,” Vallejo stated.
Her new book, “Alucinante País Dorado,” is the first in a trilogy of novels, which she says is inspired by her personal experiences in Colombia but is primarily a work of fiction. The book is currently banned in Colombia.
First Piper 