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Eduardo Sandoval

Eduardo Sandoval was the head of security for Cesar Gaviria during his 1989 presidential campaign and later the Vice-Minister of Justice of Colombia. Sandoval worked with DEA agent Steve Murphy to guarantee his friend's safety, as Gaviria's mentor Luis Carlos Galan had been assassinated by Medellin Cartel boss Pablo Escobar for his views.

Biography[]

Eduardo Sandoval was a close friend of Cesar Gaviria, a politician from the Colombian Liberal Party, and Sandoval worked as his campaign adviser and his head of security during his 1989 presidential campaign. Sandoval worked with him on the campaign trail, and he was also forced to work with DEA agent Steve Murphy to guarantee Gaviria's security, as he was a target for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel. Sandoval did not trust the United States, but the Americans wound up saving Gaviria's life from Avianca Flight 203 in late 1989.

Sandoval hostage

Sandoval being held as a hostage by Escobar

When Gaviria took office as President of Colombia in 1990, Sandoval became the Vice-Minister of Justice, and he was responsible for assisting the Ministry of Justice in handling the affairs of criminal organizations such as the Medellin and Cali Cartels. On the night of 22 July 1992, he was sent to negotiate with Escobar at his La Catedral "prison" during the La Catedral siege, and Sandoval informed him that he was to be moved to a conventional prison while La Catedral was renovated. Sandoval believed that he had come to an agreement with Escobar to meet with President Gaviria, but he was instead taken hostage by the Medellin Cartel and forced to stay at the prison; he was told that he could contact Gaviria via telephone. Sandoval had to be rescued by special forces after being sent to communicate with Gaviria on Escobar's behalf, and he was successfully rescued; Escobar had given orders for his men not to harm Sandoval, hoping that the Colombian Army would kill him in an accidental attack, similar to the circumstances of journalist Diana Turbay's death.

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