Narcos Summary: Season 1 Episode 5 – There Will Be a Future

Being the only witness who could tie Escobar to the “palace of justice” massacre, Pena plans to escape Elisa out of Colombia by giving her immunity in exchange for testimony. This, however, was unacceptable in anti-communist USA so he had to find another option.

Feeling homesick – despite being hosted by the Panamanian president, Manuel Noriega – Escobar offers to pay off Colombia’s national debt in exchange for amnesty. But the government declined.

To keep the government from signing the traffickers-extortion deal with the US, Escobar ordered the assassination of the pro-extortion candidate, Luis Carlos Galan, who was shot on stage a few weeks before being elected as Colombia’s new president.

With his father’s funeral being heavily covered by media, Galan’s son, Juan Manuel, publicly asks his father’s campaign manager, Cesar Gaviria, to run for presidency and save Colombia. Feeling his back against the wall, Gaviria had no choice but to accept the dangerous offer.

Both homesickness and the money he paid for protection got Escobar and his men to return to Colombia, thinking no one had enough courage to come after them after they murdered Galan.

Escobar sends both Valeria and Fernando Duque to Gaviria threatening him with an all-out war and an end similar to Galan’s if he doesn’t leave the narcos alone. Both messengers, however, were kicked out of Gaviria’s office.

Without the help of the CIA – or else he would be trialed for helping a communist – Pena forged a fake US ID for Elisa and asked Connie to drive her outside Colombia. (See Narcos Summary: Descenso – Episode 1 Season 1)

Escobar’s sicarios started murdering judges, politicians and even journalists who supported extradition or even dared to speak against him.  To fight back, Horacio Carrillo was assigned to lead a special unit named, The Search Block, for the hunt of no one but narcos.

Carrillo later escaped death after declining a $6 million bribe from Escobar on the condition of leaving him alone. Upon that attempt, Gaviria decided to send his wife and kids to the US to guarantee their safety. (See Narcos Summary: Season 1 Episode 10: Despegue)