Valeria Velez (Narcos)

Valeria Velez was a Colombian journalist who had a romantic relationship with Medellin Cartel boss Pablo Escobar from 1981 to 1991. She was murdered by Los Pepes for being "Pablo's whore" in 1993.

Events of Narcos

Valeria Velez worked as a news anchor during the early 1980s, and in 1981 she interviewed the famous cartel boss Pablo Escobar, forming a romantic relationship with him. Escobar cheated with her, but he was angered when Velez asked him if he had sex with his wife standing up; Escobar told her never to disrespect his wife. In 1985, Velez brought politician Fernando Duque to the Hacienda Napoles to meet Escobar after Escobar told her of his desire to enter politics and become president, and Escobar used his friendship with Duque to enter politics. Velez and Escobar would continue to have a relationship over the next few years, and Velez's ratings went through the roof. However, by 1990 she was being beaten by Diana Turbay, the daughter of former president Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala, who was seen as a link between the upper and lower classes. Velez told Escobar that Turbay was being rated higher than she was, leading to Escobar having Turbay kidnapped; ultimately, Turbay would be killed by the Search Bloc in a collateral damage incident in 1991. Velez therefore became the most important reporter in the country, and she was tipped off on stories by Escobar, reporting at crime scenes immediately after they happened. However, she would be forced to end her relationship with Escobar when he pled guilty to drug trafficking charges in 1991, as her credibility as a journalist would be damaged if she continued to see him. Escobar reluctantly set her free, saying that she was a bandit just like him.

Velez was contacted by Pablo Escobar's wife Maria Henao, who had a strong disliking for her, in 1993. Henao wanted Velez to open contact between her and Escobar, and Velez met Escobar at one of his houses, reuniting with him. Velez decided to do Escobar a favor by bringing a radio to Henao at the apartment where Henao and the family was interned by the government, and she did so for Pablo's sake. Velez left the apartment after staying for a few minutes to make it seem as if she had interviewed Henao, but she would be killed by Los Pepes as she left. Her body, along with those of her news van driver and her cameraman, were found in their news van outside of the hotel, with a sign saying "Pablo's whore" hanging from the door.

Personality

Velez was known to be manipulative and envious of others.

Trivia

Her character is completely fictional. She is most likely based on real-life Virginia Vallejo, a real-life Colombian journalist who was one of Pablo's mistresses. She testified to the Colombian Supreme Court about the siege of the court and the murder of Luis Carlos Galán. Virginia Vallejo wrote a book about her relationship with Pablo Escobar called "Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar". Vallejo currently resides in the United States as part of the DEA's witness protection program.