Warning: This post could be reveals spoilers about Netflix’s “Griselda.
Ever felt shaken by a show, questioning humanity’s depths? If you’ve delved into Netflix’s limited series “Griselda,” chances are you’ve experienced exactly that. But here’s the chilling truth: what you witness on screen barely scratches the surface of the real-life atrocities committed by the woman the show is based on.
Enter Griselda Blanco, the notorious drug empress of the ’70s and ’80s, whose ruthlessness earned her the title of the deadliest female drug dealer in history. Pablo Escobar himself, no stranger to violence, once confessed that Griselda was the only person who truly intimidated him – a woman so fearsome that she had even the most hardened criminals trembling in fear.
The series, brilliantly portrayed by Sofia Vergara, unveils just a fraction of Blanco’s reign of terror as she ascends from smuggling cocaine in women’s underwear to dominating the Miami drug trade. Armed with a gold-plated Uzi and devoid of empathy, Blanco orchestrates murders with chilling precision, including the execution of witnesses in front of their children and the bombing of rival dealers’ homes.
But here’s where reality eclipses fiction: while “Griselda” depicts a handful of murders over six episodes, the real Griselda Blanco’s body count is staggering. Former Miami-Dade detective Al Singleton estimated her responsibility in at least 40 deaths – a figure that pales in comparison to the gruesome acts she committed, like watching her own children get high on cocaine at the tender age of three.
Yet, amidst the bloodshed, Blanco adheres to a twisted moral code, sparing children from her violence-a trait not even fictional drug lords possess. But don’t mistake her restraint for remorse; when paranoia and power consume her, Blanco’s actions plunge into even darker depths. One harrowing incident sees her ordering the assassination of a confidant, leading to the accidental murder of his innocent two-year-old son-a moment that exposes Blanco’s facade of remorse for what it truly is.
The show may attempt to humanize Blanco, painting her as a victim of circumstance, but the truth is far more chilling. Even as she professes love for her son, Michael, Blanco’s actions speak louder than words. In a scene mirroring reality, Blanco’s rage leads to the death of Michael’s father, who dared to protect his son from her influence a stark reminder that in Blanco’s world, loyalty comes at a deadly price.
And then there’s the haunting tale of Dario Sepúlveda, Blanco’s lover, whose infidelity sealed his fate. In a twist of fate more tragic than any script could conjure, Dario’s attempts to shield Michael from Blanco’s world end in his own demise a brutal reminder that in Blanco’s world, no one is safe from her wrath.
As you immerse yourself in Vergara’s portrayal of this chilling figure, remember that the horrors you witness are but a glimpse into the true depths of Griselda Blanco’s depravity. So count yourself lucky that you’ve only encountered her on screen, for the reality of her reign is far more terrifying than fiction could ever capture.
