25 Facts about Griselda Blanco and The Cocaine Cowboys

Posted by , Updated on November 28, 2023

Presenting a grisly list: 25 Facts about Griselda Blanco and The Cocaine Cowboys! Let’s face it,  Griselda Blanco was a bloodthirsty drug lord.  She used murder and mayhem to build her drug empire, and no one was safe from her evil ways.

Blanco committed some heinous acts. They included killing her lovers, forcing children to become mules, and people having sex with her at gunpoint. 

Interestingly, she was also remembered as a loving mother and businesswoman. There’s no denying it, Blanco was a fascinating person. So without further ado, here are 25 facts about Griselda Blanco and The Cocaine Cowboys.

Video
play-rounded-fill

 

 

 

25

Catherine Zeta-Jones played her in a movie

Griselda Blanco image 25https://deadline.com/2018/01/catherine-zeta-jones-griselda-blanco-lifetime-1202243193/

Despite the fact that the actress was not Colombian or Latina, she was still able to portray Griselda Blanco in a Lifetime movie.

24

She is said to have invented drive by shootings on motorcycles

Griselda Blanco image 24https://dondivamag.com/the-inventions-of-la-madrina-griselda-blanco/

Apparently, it was so bad that Colombia made a law that said there can’t be two people riding a motorcycle near any governmental building.

23

She was killed by a shooter on a motorcycle

Griselda Blanco image 23https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/03/cocaine-godmother-of-colombia/

Yes, this is very ironic but in 2012 Blanco was shot in the head outside a butcher shop. The killer was described as middle age and very calm and collected during the killing.

22

She named her son Michael Corleone

Griselda Blanco image 22http://swordandscale.com/the-son-of-la-madrina/

It was said that Griselda Blanco was a huge movie buff and named her son, Michael Corleone, after the main character in The Godfather.

21

She supposedly killed her 3 husbands

Griselda Blanco image 20http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2011/09/griselda-blanco-suspected-of-murdering.html

It was never proven that she did murder her men, but everyone suspected and it was because of this she was given the nicknameThe Black Widow.”

20

One of her inventions was drug smuggling underwear

Griselda Blanco image 21https://www.learning-history.com/griselda-blanco/

At the time she was moving kilos upon kilos of cocaine into the country so she had to be creative. She invented underwears lined with secret compartments for hiding drugs.

19

She had a plan to kidnap JFK Jr.

Griselda Blanco image 19https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_Jr.#/media/File:John_Kennedy_Jr_1999.jpg

While sitting in jail she came up with a plot for the cartel to kidnap John Kennedy Jr. and use him as a bargaining chip for her freedom. Fortunately, nothing came of this plot.

18

Her suspected death toll was 200

Griselda Blanco image 18https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2198005/Griselda-Blanco-dead-Godmother-Cocaine-deadly-Miami-drug-trade-gunned-Colombia.html

No one knows officially how many people Griselda Blanco killed but it was very high. She allegedly killed a two-year-old boy when she ordered a hit on her enemy, Jesus “Chucho” Castro. He was the intended target, but his boy was the one killed. That suited Blanco just fine. Apparently, when Blanco heard about accidental killing, she was happy. She believed they were even.

17

Her son Michael is on a reality show

Griselda Blanco image 17https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/cocaine-godmother-griselda-blancos-son-claims-cartel-crew-doesnt-glorify-criminal-lifestyle-were-trying-to-move-on-with-our-lives

Cartel Crew is a reality show about the children of various cartel members. Michael Corleone Blanco is one of the stars of the show.

16

She was only convicted of 3 murders

Griselda Blanco image 16http://unknownmisandry.blogspot.com/2011/09/griselda-blanco-suspected-of-murdering.html

It is more than likely she committed more killings than this but the D.A. was only able to convict her of three murders. one of those murders was a mass killing in the 70s at the Dadeland Mall.

15

She was called La Madrina

Griselda Blanco image 15https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/01/griselda-blanco-cocaine-godmother/

One of her nicknames, along with The Black Widow, was La Madrina. It translates to The Godmother. The story goes that she got this nickname after she killed one of her enemies and shouted “I’m the f–ing Godmother.

14

She is the mastermind behind the Miami Cocaine Wars

Griselda Blanco image 14http://flashbackmiami.com/2014/09/10/miami-drug-wars/

If you lived in Miami during the 80s then you probably remember The Cocaine Cowboys and the amount of violence that occurred. Griselda Blanco was behind most, if not all of it.

13

One of her many enemies was Pablo Escobar

Griselda Blanco image 13https://allthatsinteresting.com/griselda-blanco-la-madrina

Another name associated with drug dealing and violence was Pablo Escobar. Some say he was a protege of Blanco. However, many people claim this was not accurate and the two had engaged in a bloody war instead.

12

She was known to throw quite the fiesta

Griselda Blanco image 12https://dondivamag.com/videos/video/griselda-blanco-the-black-widow-cocaine-godmother/

When she wasn’t committing mass murder and selling large quantities of cocaine, la madrina was known to throw wild parties filled with drug dealers, prostitutes and plenty of drugs.

11

She started her drug business in New York

Griselda Blanco image 11http://altereddimensions.net/2012/griselda-blanco-miami-godmother

She was introduced to the drug game by her first husband Carlos Trujillo who she later ended up killing. She went into business by herself and even though business was good, she had to relocate to Florida when authorities closed in her illegal activities.

10

She was known to be quite sadistic

Griselda Blanco image 10http://altereddimensions.net/2012/griselda-blanco-miami-godmother

Griselda Blanco who was bi-sexual was said to have orgies with strippers and later have them executed for her own amusement.

9

She forced men to have sex with her

Griselda Blanco image 9http://www.panachereport.com/channels/more%20short%20stories/FemaleScarface.htm

When she started using her own product she became crazier and crazier. She had reportedly gained a lot of weight and started making men and women have sex with her at gunpoint.

8

She used many people as drug mules

Griselda Blanco image 8https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4908198/griselda-blanco-colombias-cartel-queen-godmother-of-cocaine/

Yes, that’s right. She used men, women, children, senior citizens. Basically, everyone was a pawn and was forced to help The Godmother smuggle drugs into the country.

7

She was the first female drug lord in History

Griselda Blanco image 7http://www.panachereport.com/channels/more%20short%20stories/FemaleScarface.htm

It was because she was the only female in a male-dominated business that drove Blanco to become the ruthless person she was. She was said to be one of the most ruthless, violent, drug dealers in the business.

6

Her first murder was at 11

Griselda Blanco image 6https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article1942452.html

She had helped kidnap a boy from a rich part of town near the slums she grew up in and when the boys family refused to pay the ransom she shot him.

5

She found religion for herself

Griselda Blanco image 5https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article1942452.html

After serving nearly 20 years in prison. Griselda Blanco became a born again Christian but it was too late as her past caught up with her and she was killed with a bible in her hand.

4

She had a very troubled childhood

Griselda Blanco image 4https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4908198/griselda-blanco-colombias-cartel-queen-godmother-of-cocaine/

Griselda Blanco ran away from home to escape the abuse of her alcoholic mother and her mother’s boyfriends. While on the streets she began pickpocketing and selling her body for sex.

3

She ran her drug business even while in prison

Griselda Blanco image 3https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/4908198/griselda-blanco-colombias-cartel-queen-godmother-of-cocaine/

While in prison Griselda was still running her drug operation and ordering executions. You can’t say that she wasn’t dedicated. She managed to do this for 19 years.

2

She was born in Colombia

Griselda Blanco image 2https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/griselda-blanco-6822.php

Griselda Blanco was born on February, 15 1943, in Cartagena, Colombia to Ana Lucia Restrepo.

1

She was one of the richest drug lords

Griselda Blanco Image 1https://networthpost.org/griselda-blanco-net-worth/

She is rumored to have sold hundreds of billions of dollars of cocaine and her net was said to be two billion dollars.



Photo: 1. flickr.com, CC BY 2.0, 2. See File history below for details., Flag of Colombia, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons , 3. istockphoto.com (Public Domain), 4. www.repirbiapo.bloggerspoint.dk (Public Domain), 5. pintrest.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 6. pintrest.com (Public Domain), 7. pintrest.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 8. w:User:Dario u / User:Dario urruty, Juancito, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons , 10. www.rock-cafe.info (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 11. www.publicdomainpictures.net (Public Domain), 12. pintrest.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 13. Colombian National Police, Pablo Escobar Mug, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons , 14. reddit.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 15. www.celebrities-galore.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 16. pintrest.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 17. www.monstersandcritics.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 18. www.lifedaily.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 19. NASA, JFKJr2, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons , 20. (Public Domain), 21. pintrest.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 22. www.gangstersinc.ning.com (Fair Use: Illustrative Purposes Only), 23. Metro Dade Police Department, Griselda Blanco Medellin, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons , 24. (Public Domain), 25. David Shankbone creator QS:P170,Q12899557, Catherine Zeta-Jones VF 2012 Shankbone 2, CC BY 3.0