Colombia wants to ban tourists from buying Pablo Escobar souvenirs

Souvenirs depicting the drug lord Pablo Escobar could be banned in Colombia.

The move has been put forward by the nation’s congress and is backed by those who believe the country should shed its image of mafia bosses.

However, it is criticized by vendors who sell his merchandise to tourists from around the world.

The bill proposes fines of up to $170 for vendors who sell merchandise that depicts Escobar and other convicted criminals, and would also enable police to fine those who wear t-shirts, hats and other garments that “exalt” the infamous drug lord.

“These items are revictimizing people who were victims of murderers,” said Cristian Avendaño, a representative from Colombia’s Green Party who drafted the bill.

“We must protect the right of the victims to recover…and find other symbols for our country.”

The proposal has been widely covered by newspapers in Colombia, where Escobar is seen as a murderous figure, linked to one of the most violent periods in the nation’s history.

At the same time, the drug trafficker’s image is also heavily commercialized by locals who are eager to cash in on the growing fascination with the drug lord, among some tourists from North America, Europe and other Latin American countries.

Souvenir vendors in Bogota’s historic La Candelaria neighborhood said they were opposed to the initiative, which has been criticized for attempting to limit freedom of speech.

“I think it’s a dumb law,” said Rafael Nieto, a street vendor who sells magnets, and t-shirts with Pablo Escobar’s face on them, as well as more traditional souvenirs.

Nieto said he would stop selling Escobar merchandise if the bill is approved, to “avoid problems” with police. But he added that members of Colombia’s Congress should instead focus their energies on lowering the city’s crime rate, and let him carry on with his business.

“Many people make a living from this” Nieto said pointing at a t-shirt that shows a copy of Pablo Escobar’s Colombian ID card.

“It’s not a trend that I came up with” Nieto added. “The Mexicans, the Costa Ricans, the Americans, are always asking me for Escobar” merchandise.

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