Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
  • About us
  • Support us
  • Contact Us
  • Intelligence
  • Advertising
  • Newsletter
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Pablo Escobar’s former assassin makes fun of pope, upsets public opinion in Colombia

by Adriaan Alsema September 11, 2017

Pablo Escobar‘s famous former hitman, “Popeye,” drew broad criticism over the weekend after making fun of Pope Francis while the church leader was visiting Colombia.

The controversial assassin-turned-youtuber provoked the public outcry after on Twitter calling the pope “a madman surrounded by con men” and calling on Police to arrest the church leader.

Aloooo Policía. Favor hay un loco que anda con engañadores y está engañando una multitud. Deténgalo. Se llama Bergolio y dice ser un Pastor

— Jhon Jairo Velasquez (@Popeye_leyenda) September 9, 2017

Rather than religious, the former assassin’s comment was meant as a political statement, he said.

“Popeye” said he had called the pope a madman “because he protects [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro, [Bolivan President] Evo Morales [and] Juan Manuel Santos, who are con men. A true pastor doesn’t hang out with con men.”

Before this year’s visit to Colombia, the pope visited Bolivia in 2015. He has yet to visit the increasingly troubled Venezuela. However, the pope’s criticism on capitalism has drawn ire from Colombia’s hard right.

Mass media and the public opinion in the staunchly Catholic country almost immediately turned against the former assassin and self-proclaimed “political activist and human rights defender.”

“It is preferable to be a madman, and bring joy an hope to Colombians to being an assassin like you,” one Twitter user said.

After his arrest in the early 1990s, Popeye spent 23 years in prison and was released earlier this decade after which he began a new life as controversial political commentator on YouTube rather than withdraw from the public light.

Pablo EscobarPope Francispopeyereligion

Trending

  • Colombia registers 12th massacre so far this year

  • Journalist resigns after pulling editorial punch at Colombia’s richest man

  • Colombia’s elderly still waiting for COVID-19 vaccines

Weekly interviews and news updates

Related articles

  • How Colombia’s former president helped kick-start the Medellin Cartel

  • Duque seeking divine protection for Colombia as government responds to coronavirus cracks

  • ‘Popeye,’ Pablo Escobar’s media-savvy former hitman dies at 57

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top