Pablo Escobar and his son, Juan Pablo Escobar, in front of the White House. Circa 1981.Pablo Escobar and White House dont seem like they belong in the same sentence. Yet theres a surprising photo of the infamous drug kingpin posing in front of the White House with his son, looking like a tourist in his white shirt and blank pants. So whats the story behind the Pablo Escobar White House photo?Read on to learn how Pablo Escobar came to pose in front of the White House and, around the same time, take his family to Disney World.The Rise Of Pablo EscobarBy 1981 the year that most believe that the Pablo Escobar White House photo was taken the drug kingpin was not as notorious as he would later become.Born in 1949 in Colombia, Pablo Escobar grew up in a suburb near Medelln. After starting as a petty thief stealing cars and reselling stolen tombstones, Escobar became involved in the nascent Colombian cocaine industry. It was a family affair Escobars cousin Gustavo Gaviria and brother Roberto were also involved and Pablo soon consolidated power.In the 1970s, Pablo Escobar helped establish what would become the Medelln Cartel. By the mid-1980s, Escobars cartel would dominate the drug trade and pull in some $420 million a week. This would eventually give Escobar the eye-watering estimated net worth of over $30 billion.But in the late 1970s, Escobar was not as wealthy and powerful as hed later become. In addition to growing his cartel, Escobar was focused on his growing family. Escobar married his wife, Maria Victoria Henao, in 1976 and had two children with her: Juan Pablo Escobar and Manuela Escobar. YouTubePablo Escobar with his wife and two children in an undated photo.And like any well-off family, the Escobars planned a trip together in the 1980s. They would go to the United States and visit famous landmarks. There, Maria would snap a photo of Pablo Escobar at the White House.The Story Behind The Pablo Escobar White House PhotoBy the time Pablo Escobar and his family traveled to the United States, the drug kingpin was on a mission to legitimize himself. He was on Medllins city council, and would go on to win an alternate seat in the countrys Congress in 1982.PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy Stock PhotoPablo Escobar was trying to legitimize himself in the early 1980s and was, indeed, seen as a Robin Hood figure to many Colombians.Escobar may have used a diplomatic passport or possibly even a fake passport in order to get into the country with his family. That said, the United States didnt view him as a great threat at the time. The War on Drugs was unofficially launched in the 1970s under President Richard Nixon, but not expanded until President Ronald Reagan took office in 1981.At the onset of the decade, Escobar and his cartel werent yet seen as an important enemy. So Escobar, his wife, and two children were able to enter the United States without much difficulty in 1981. There, they acted like tourists. Though details of the Escobar family trip are somewhat murky, they appear to have made at least two stops: in Washington D.C. and in Orlando, Florida. In the nations capital, Maria took a photo of Juan Pablo and Pablo Escobar in front of the White House. Juan Pablo is seen hanging off the railing as his father casts a protective glance down, one hand on his sons arm.The family also made their way to Disney World in Orlando, where Pablo Escobar was photographed looking like any other dad dragged to the theme park. Newsweek reports that Escobar even agreed to face his fear of roller coasters in order to go on certain rides with Juan Pablo. Pablo Escobar at Disney World in 1981.The Escobar familys trip to the United States passed without serious incident Newsweek reports that Escobar made sure of that by hiring a bodyguard and they returned to Colombia. There, Pablo Escobars drug cartel would soon grow dramatically more powerful.But it wouldnt last. The Downfall Of The Infamous Drug KingpinAfter his trip to the White House, Pablo Escobars power and wealth grew. Living by the mantra of plata o plomo, which roughly translates to silver or lead (bullets), he and his cartel murdered police, politicians, journalists, and innocent citizens in order to consolidate their hold on the cocaine trade. Escobar eventually controlled about 80 percent of the worlds cocaine trade, which brought him great wealth. He had a sprawling, opulent home called Hacienda Napoles, where Escobar kept his infamous pet hippos. And when Escobar went to prison in 1991, he did so on his own terms. Then, Escobar entered a prison in Medelln that he had designed himself called La Catedral. Unlike most prisons, La Catedral had a sauna, a jacuzzi, a billiards room, and a disco. And unlike most prisoners, Escobar was able to continue conducting cartel business from behind bars. JOAQUIN SARMIENTO/AFP via Getty ImagesOne of Pablo Escobars hippos.Perhaps its not surprising, then, that Escobar managed to escape from La Catedral in 1992. His flight triggered a massive, nationwide manhunt. Escobar was pursued both by a group called the Search Bloc, a Colombian police unit, and Los Pepes, which was comprised of Escobars enemies.The Legacy Of Pablo EscobarPablo Escobar was finally cornered 16 months after he escaped from prison. The drug kingpin was killed on Dec. 2, 1933, while fleeing from Colombian authorities along rooftops in the Los Olivos barrio of Medelln.With that, Escobars life ended. But his legacy has continued to loom large. Not only has his story been dramatized in films and television shows like Netflixs Narcos, but Escobar remains a fascinating figure. Its no wonder that the Pablo Escobar White House photo is a subject of interest to many.In the picture, theres little sign of who Escobar actually was. He looks like a tourist and a dutiful father, keeping one eye on his young son as they stand before an American landmark. In the photo, the truth of Escobars identity as cartel leader, murderer, and more is difficult to discern.After reading about the Pablo Escobar White House photo, discover the incredible story behind the prize-winning Kiss of Life photo. Or read about the Calvine photo, thought to be the clearest picture ever taken of a UFO.The post The Surprising Truth Behind The Pablo Escobar White House Photo appeared first on All That's Interesting.