Chapter 7

Episode 20 :

Plants of the Erythroxylaceae family. The tree is very important to the inhabitants of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta as part of Andean culture. Coca leaves contain sub- scar cocaine, which is used to make the extremely powerful drug cocaine. There are four types of cultivated coca plants.

Among them, the coca plant is considered a major cash crop in Bolivia and Peru.

Coca Prunus spinosa or Blackthorn is a bushy plant. Its height is 2– 3 m (7– 10 ft). The stems or branches are simple and the leaves are thin, rounded and tapering towards the front. The flowers are small. The peduncle consists of five yellow- white mixed flower petals. When mature, the flowers transform into red juicy fruits.

Sometimes coca leaves are used as food for the larvae of the Eloria noycei moth.

There are two species of cultivated coca. Each of these has two more sub- species for a total of four.

Although produced in the highlands, it is also grown in the lowlands. Plants of this subspecies are found in the arid regions of Colombia. Erythroxylum novo granatense var. Truxilense (Tujillo coca) is mainly grown in Peru and Colombia. The central veins on both sides of the leaves are not parallel like those of other subspecies. Cocoa and coca play a special role in Mexico's economy.

Episode 21 :

The history of cocoa or chocolate is more ancient. It is from the time of the Mayans to the present time

Equally popular drinks. However, many say that the period of chocolate's popularity is older

referring to Its existence can even be traced back to the time of the ancient Olmec civilization in South America. The word chocolate means sweet or candy bar. But what we know as chocolate these days, sometimes the definition of all types of chocolate may not be what we think. Today's chocolate is not like the chocolate of the past. For most of history, chocolate

The use was as a spice. It is considered as an object of great love by almost all age groups

would have been

Chocolate is made from the fruit of the cocoa tree. It has been used since ancient times as a native drink in Central and South America. Cocoa fruits are called 'pods' and each pod contains about 40 cocoa fruits. Cocoa pods freshly picked from the tree are first soaked and then dried to make cocoa beans.

It is not clear exactly when chocolate first originated from cacao or who invented it. But according to Hayes Lavis, curator of cultural arts at the Smithsonian Museum of American- Indians, the ancient Olmec civilization, which dates back to 1500 BC, used chocolate as a stimulant compound with tea.

It is believed that the Olmecs used cacao beans to make a ritual drink. However, since no written history is available from them, it is unclear how cacao was used in their list of uses, or if it was used at all.

remains However, many historians confirm that the Olmecs used cacao beans, and that cacao was later used as chocolate. Undoubtedly, the Olmecs were able to spread their knowledge of cacao to Central America, from which later the Mayans began using cacao as chocolate in their own culture. The Mayans not only used cacao beans as food, they also revered them. According to the written history of the Mayans, chocolate was used as a drink to celebrate various occasions and to finalize important transactions.

Cocoa beans were also used as currency in the Aztec civilization. The consumption of chocolate reached a much appreciated level. The Aztec people believed that cacao beans were an absolute gift from the gods. Like the Mayans, they served hot or cold, spiced chocolate as a drink in ornate containers. The smell of caffeine was quite enjoyable to them, but they used cacao beans (cocoa shuti) as currency to buy food and other goods. In Aztec culture, cacao beans were considered more valuable than gold.

Perhaps the most notorious Aztec chocolate lover of all in Aztec civilization was the powerful Aztec ruler Montezuma II. He drank copious amounts of chocolate daily to boost his energy and as an aphrodisiac. He is also known to have reserved cacao beans for his military.

The history of how chocolate reached Europe was also amazing. There is a story that after Christopher Columbus stopped a merchant ship during his voyage to America, he discovered cacao beans and out of curiosity, he gave the cacao beans to his

Brought to Spain in 1502.

Another story tells of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, from the Aztec emperor Montezuma.

was introduced to chocolate. It is not clear how chocolate came to Spain, but the Spanish became very fond of it early on, and in 1585 Spain began importing chocolate. At that time other European countries such as Italy and France occupied parts of Central America, and from then on they also learned the process of making chocolate from cacao. These popular chocolates have since become widely known in the European region. Soon, chocolate mania spread across Europe. As there is a high demand for chocolate, there

Cocoa plantations were built, and thousands of slaves worked in these plantations.

European palettes were not satisfied with traditional Aztec chocolate drink recipes. They applied some of their own tricks to it. Sugar, cinnamon and other common spices

They started making a new type of chocolate by mixing hot cocoa with chocolate.

Cocaine has a more surprising history than chocolate.

More than 2000 years ago, the ancient Incas chewed the leaves of the coca plant for its stimulant effects. The coca leaves became part of their daily life special rituals and daily routines.

Cocaine is a stimulant drug, made from the leaves of the South American coca plant. It remains the oldest, strongest and most dangerous stimulant of natural origin.

Coca originated thousands of years ago, with the ancient Incas of the Andes and Amazon rainforest .

Chewed coca leaves. In the Andes, the ancient Incas chewed coca leaves then breathed and grew in time with their heartbeat. This means that they discovered stimulants in the coca leaf.

The word coca is derived from the Incan word 'kuka'. The coca leaf played an important role in Inca history, sacred rituals and ceremonies.

The name Coca originates from the story of the Cuca

The Incas of the Andes had the story of a woman named Cuca. Her face was not like any other girl.

No one in the empire could resist her beauty. She was very conscious of beauty,

And so for her to gain power, Kuka takes advantage of her beauty from men .

However, when Cuca's actions were revealed to the Incan emperor, the Great Inca. He ordered Kuka to be sacrificed, Kuka's body was cut in half and buried.

A plant miraculously grows from his grave that gives strength and removes pain. The Incans called the 'Cuca's plant' coca, in honor of the beautiful woman. Coca leaves were used in sacred religious ceremonies of the Incas.

On the highest altar, coca leaves were burned and its smoke wafted towards the sun, their chief deity, and other deities. It was a ritual to heal the sick.

Some priests who specialize in religious knowledge use the coca leaf as a source of future energy .

Episode 22 :

The Incas believed that coca leaves protected the human brain from damage.

Because by eating cocoa leaves, the sleeping neurons of the brain become activeted and energized .

These become more effective when people see what they want in hallucinations.

This matter was sacred to the Incas.

Also, it confuses victims who overdose, making them easier to subdue. And very easily subjugated people can be given and given whatever they want with them. These two resources, cocoa and coca, have been special to Mexico's economy since ancient times

Episode 23 :

Arian stayed at the Hotel Riu Emerald Bay in Mazatlan Beach and it has a special history. Many will be surprised to hear that. And to know the answer to all the questions that why this hotel is doing business with drugs unilaterally by breaking international rules, you must know the history of the founder of Hotel Riu Emerald.

Drugs are one of the most dangerous things for mankind. And when the word drug is uttered, a name inevitably comes up 'Pablo Escabar' the King of Cocaine. Full name Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria. Pablo Escobar was born on December 1, 1949 in the city of Rio Negro in the province of Antioquia, Colombia. This Colombian drug lord was nicknamed 'The King of Cocaine'. The Godfather is also known as "The Lord" or "The Boss".

Most of all he was called Don Escobar. Pablo Escobar started breaking the law when he was twelve. He used to leave the house late at night. He used to go to the cemetery. He used to steal tombstones.

The tombstones were sold again to a smuggler or to a tombstone shop. Thus began Colombia's Deadliest Man. Pablo became a millionaire only at the age of 22. Kidnapping, murder, trafficking, there is nothing left that Pablo did not do.

Pablo understood that in order to rise to the top, he had to overcome everyone. That's why Pablo had the perfect game plan. Anyone who stands in Pablo's way must die. It is an unwritten rule. Pablo's lifestyle was a thousand times more interesting than the thrilling lifestyle of any other gangsters in the movie.

Absolutely Mastermind Smooth Criminal. Everyone from jazz to the streets of Mexico was in Pablo's pocket. Pablo bribed the entire law and order of Mexico. Pablo's most famous dialogue when shaking someone's hand was 'Lata o Plomo'. That is 'silver or lead'. Simply put "take the money - or eat the bullet"!

Pablo Escobar grew up in the violence of Colombia from a very young age, the child of poor parents. Pablo Escobar's dream was to become a member of parliament one day. He was very close to achieving his dreams. Finally, when another member of parliament, Rodrigo Lara Bonías, objected to Pablo's drug cartel life, Pablo's dream was dashed. Pablo was blinded by rage. Kill Rodrigo with a personal assassin. Pablo also declared direct war with the Colombian government. About 4000 ordinary people died due to Pablo's anger.

Pablo Escobar used his own method to subdue his enemy, which in his own words - "PLATA O' PLOMO" means "SILVER OR LEAD". Simply put, first they were lured with huge sums of bribes and if the first i.e. "PLATA OR SILVER" didn't work, their outcome was "PLOMO OR LEAD" i.e. Escobar would then directly order his enemy to be killed along with his family. It is unknown how many murders Escobar is responsible for, but he is said to be directly responsible for several thousand murders.

In Colombia it was said, "No matter how powerful and important you are , if Escobar wants to kill you, no one can save you." Escobar's brutality included judges, journalists, magistrates, police, and even members of his own party. Many innocent women, men and children were killed in his horrific car bomb attacks. It was then said that - "Escobar can order the killing of any enemy, anytime, anywhere."

The brutality of this infamous cocaine kingpin was the 1985 attack on the Supreme Court building and the killing of 11 judges. Also, on November 27, 1989, Escobar ordered the assassination of a presidential candidate to explode "Avianca Flight 203", killing all 110 innocent passengers. However, the presidential candidate was not on that flight. Also Colombian Minister of Justice "Rodrigo Lara" was assassinated by Pablo Escobar's "killing squad" because Lara opposed Escobar in the Colombian Congress. "Presidential candidate" and "anti- narcotics" Lui Carlos Galan was also assassinated during his campaign on Escobar's orders. In the 1980s, the famous "FORBES" magazine named this cocaine king as the seventh richest man in the world.

Pablo Escobar's end was full of drama. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was called the King of Cocaine for his monopoly on the cocaine trade. His ferocity and brutality to his opponents was legendary. Mexico's cocaine kingpin heads the Medellin Cartel, one of the world's most organized and brutal drug cartels. In the 70s and 80s his "Medellin Cartel" controlled a large part of the world's cocaine trade. Escobar's power was so great that it was almost impossible to bring him to justice. The Colombian government wanted help. The US government wanted it too .