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| Adriana Ortiz |
Griselda was an anti-hero. She was a struggling mother, in a misogynistic environment. She was tough, yet vulnerable. Her actions were contradictory. She became ruthless. Yet, you could see snippets of acts of kindness. Projecting confidence seemed to be her strong suit, while, at the same time, she would bruise easily over passing interactions. It was apparent that she suffered in silence with a great deal of emotional pain. This was mostly due to intra-partner violence, the rigid gender roles in society and the lack of resources to protect herself and her children.
The show left me pondering on the juxtaposition of the two main characters, June Hawkins and Griselda Blanco — both were women, single mothers, in a male-dominated society. They made different life choices. Thus, they struggled in surprisingly similar ways. They were victims of the sexism that was all too pervasive during that time. Griselda attempted to “look after her family” by becoming a drug boss — only to be consumed by ambition. In contrast, June struggled as a single mother, but applied herself to the greater good. I couldn’t help but empathize, at certain moments, with Griselda. Before you misunderstand, I do not condone her murderous behavior or her drug trafficking.
Coming from Canada, Colombian culture was in stark contrast to the life that I was accustomed to. In Canada as a teenager, I was always told that women could become whatever we wanted, if we made efforts. Upon my return to Medellin, I saw that many women were housewives. Domesticity was sold to the prior generation. Some women lived under especially oppressive conditions, such as domestic violence and financial dependence.
Griselda had to learn how to hustle, when she was abandoned by her first husband with three young children and no financial means. It is understandable that she became a sex worker, in order to provide for her children. The country had limited opportunities for women in the 1970s. Her second husband sold her to his brother in order to pay his drug debt. Once again, she found herself alone with her children.
Although drug dealing can never be condoned, I can understand why trafficking drugs was her eventual choice. In her mind, her first drug deal was meant to ensure her children were taken care of in Miami. Then, greed and ambition began to take hold. Unsurprisingly, given her painful past, we see her fall into substance use. Fueled by paranoia, she becomes a threat towards friends, family, and anyone who crossed her path.
There are some creative liberties, but the show depicted real people, with real families. This is not Scarface. This is not The Godfather. These were families that suffered the consequences of someone else’s actions. I felt the suffering that the country experienced by the hands of the drug cartels. We all paid the price.
As with many villains, you can still see glimpses of humanity. I remember, as a young lawyer, arriving at my uncle’s office. He was a prominent lawyer, who I looked up to. On that day, I saw two well groomed, unknown males. As soon as I came into the sitting room, they all stood up. “This is my niece, she is also a lawyer”, my uncle said.
“Nice to meet you”, said Jorge Ochoa, as he shook my hand. I then shook the second man’s hand. “Nice to meet you”, said Juan David Ochoa. These were, in fact, key members of the Medellin cartel. As I sat down with these men, I heard them speak about their families. At that moment, I could not help wonder: are these the ruthless killers? The conversation was unremarkable. I completely forgot who they really were for a moment. They were no doubt criminals, and yet they were also husbands, fathers, uncles and friends.
It was a life lesson. I learned that the same person can be capable of committing heinous acts and seem utterly ordinary in some situations. We are all a complex set of amalgams of life experiences and personal characteristics that manifest themselves in unpredictable and sometimes contradictory ways.
With Griselda’s life story, there were incidents where I was compelled to have feelings of compassion, even though her actions were reprehensible. Even though, it is evident that Griselda was a merciless killer. She was selfish and callous. No one denies the fact that she was the cause of endless suffering. At the same time, she was a mother that veered down the most painful, self-destructive path. Along that path, she lost the most important people in her life: her children.
“No one wins in the world of drug trafficking; at the end everyone pays the price"
Adriana Ortiz is a criminal defence lawyer and has a GPLLM from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. You can contact her at adriana@adrianaortizrlaw.ca.
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