Colombian soldiers gathered outside La Catedral
On July 22, 1992, the 4th Brigade of the Colombian Army consisting of 4,000 soldiers led by Brigadier General Gustavo Pardo Ariza was instructed to lay siege onto the La Catedral prison which housed Medellín cartel leader Pablo Escobar and his select group of sicarios. Ariza was tasked with arresting Escobar but, the Colombian Military leaders ordered the Brigadier General to simply surround the perimeter of the prison.
Colombian President Cesar Gaviria ostensibly wanted to move Escobar to a conventional prison after the murder of two of Escobar's lieutenants inside the prison became public. However, Escobar felt that he would either be killed or sent to an American prison, and refused to cooperate. Vice Minister of Justice, Eduardo Sandoval, was dispatched to negotiate with Escobar. Upon arrival, Sandoval realized that Ariza's 4th Brigade did not apprehend Escobar, and voluntarily went inside the prison to speak to the drug lord. Escobar used the opportunity to kidnap Sandoval, and forced him to talk to the President using a telephone inside the compound. Sandoval covertly informed the President that he was held hostage inside the prison.
Colombia's Defense Minister wanted to send a DAS Hostage Negotiation Team to rescue Sandoval and to negotiate with Escobar. However, the President refused and instead, authorized a Army Special Forces raid on the prison compound, which aimed to secure Sandoval and capture Escobar. Ariza was relieved of command, and 250 Special Forces soldiers, along with 4 helicopters and 7 attack dogs stormed into Escobar's fortress, and engaged in a firefight with the prison guards and Escobar's sicarios. Sandoval was recovered unharmed, but Escobar escaped through the rear exit, with three of his trusted soldiers. A group of Colombian soldiers came across Escobar, but they let him pass as they were fearful of Escobar's infamy.