Who is Manuela Escobar and Where is She Now?

Manuela Escobar is the 39 year-old daughter of Pablo Escobar, the infamous Colombian drug lord and Maria Victoria Henao, his wife. Manuela was born on 25th May 1984, during the height of her father’s drug empire in the 80s and so, she got to live a lavish and luxurious life.

Pablo Escobar was eventually gunned down in 1993 and Manuela became fatherless at the age of nine. Her mother did her best to provide a normal life for the family but her father’s legacy has made that difficult. Manuela Escobar lives her life out of the spotlight and remains a mystery to date. Some sources state that she is an engineer living in America, while others say that she suffers from depression and lives with her elder brother.

How Old Is Manuela Escobar Today?

Manuela Escobar is now 39 years old as she was born on the 25th of May 1984. Her nationality is Colombian, while her ethnicity is Latina. Manuela is the only daughter of the late Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar, who grew up in Medellin and became a petty criminal in 1974. He later switched to the more lucrative cocaine trade and set up his cartel in 1976.

At the height of his business in the 80s, Pablo Escobar was responsible for 80% of the cocaine shipments into the U.S. He generated a revenue of $420 million weekly and amassed a staggering net worth of $30 billion. He was eventually gunned down by the authorities in 1993.

Manuela Escobar’s Mom is Maria Victoria Henao

Manuela Escobar’s mom is Maria Victoria Henao. Henao is also from Colombia and married Pablo Escobar when she was just about 15. She stuck by his side despite his ruthless and deadly drug trade, and they remained married till his death.

Following Escobar’s demise, Maria Victoria Henao briefly lived in several countries. She now lives in Argentina and has built up a small fortune as a realtor.

Manuela Escobar was Born During the Height of Her Father’s Drug Empire and Lived Like a Princess

Manuela Escobar’s parents wed in 1976. They welcomed her elder brother named Juan Pablo Escobar Henao the very next year. She then followed in 1984. At the time that Manuela was born, her father had transformed from a petty criminal into a billionaire drug lord. She was therefore born into opulence and lived like a princess.

For instance, Manuela Escobar got to live on a luxurious estate known as Hacienda Nápoles. The estate featured a Spanish colonial house, a private airport, and a sculpture park. Manuela and her brother also had access to a private zoo that featured varied animals such as elephants, giraffes, exotic birds, and ponies. It was like having your own jungle in your backyard, and Manuela lapped it all up.

She fell in love with animals and, on one occasion, requested a unicorn as a gift. Her father had no choice but to have his staff tape horns and wings to a horse to fulfill her wish. Beyond the material possessions, Manuela Escobar also reveled in her parents’ love for her. Her father loved her very much and went to great lengths to show it. For instance, on one occasion, when the entire family was hiding out in the mountains, he reportedly set fire to millions of dollar notes so as to keep her warm.

She Later Fled Colombia with the Rest of the Family after Her Father’s Death in 1993

Manuela Escobar grew up in love and luxury, but she couldn’t entirely escape the consequences of her father’s business. There were the authorities gunning for him. They were also rival cartels and local vigilantes who wanted to eliminate him. This made the whole family a target, and they had to deal with frightening issues.

On one occasion, their house was sprayed with bullets. On yet another, a car bomb exploded outside their block of apartments in Medellin in 1988. The car bomb was so fierce that it killed two guards. It is also rumored that the impact left Manuela Escobar permanently deaf in her left ear, but this isn’t confirmed.

Whether it is true or false, it wasn’t a wonderful way to grow up. Things came to a head after Manuela’s father was gunned down by the Colombian authorities in December 1993. The family became unwelcomed, so they had no option but to leave Colombia. They went to countries such as Mozambique and Brazil and then settled down in Argentina.

Maria Escobar has Now Changed Her Name to Juana Manuela Marroquin Santos and Lives Her Life Out of the Spotlight

Following her family’s relocation to Argentina, Manuela Escobar attended school like any other kid. The public, however, got wind of her family’s identity in 1999, and she stopped going to school. She was there onwards, home-schooled by her mom.

Maria Escobar is all grown up now and lives her life out of the spotlight. She takes great care to protect her private life. This makes it difficult to know what she is up to, but it is known that she has formally changed her name to Juana Manuela Marroquin Santos. Her whereabouts remain a mystery though.

Some sources have it that Maria Escobar now lives in North Carolina and works as an engineer. Other sources have it that Manuela now lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. According to this school of thought, she struggles with depression and therefore lives with her elder brother and his family.

Is Manuela Escobar Rich?

With an estimated net worth of $2 million, there is no arguing the fact that Manuela Escobar is rich. Her wealth is ostensibly due to her own effort, but it could also be due to the wealth her father built up. As previously stated, her father was once worth $30 billion and was ranked the 7th richest man in the world in 1989.

Much of his wealth was later confiscated by the authorities, but there is the possibility that he left something for his kids. It is also possible that nothing is left of his wealth, meaning that Manuela Escobar is not rich at all.

Manuela Escobar’s Elder Brother, Sebastian Marroquin, is an Architect

While Manuela Escobar prefers living out of the spotlight, her only sibling, Sebastian Marroquin, is doing the exact opposite. Sebastian was born Juan Pablo Escobar Henao on the 24th of February 1977. He temporarily took over leadership of his father’s cartel in the wake of his demise, but he later moved away from such a life.

Sebastian Marroquin is now an architect and makes his living through honest means. He is also an author and has penned books on his father’s legacy. He has also worked on movie projects tied to his father. One of them is the 2009 documentary film Sins of My Father.