Discussion
Introduction
The book “News of Kidnapping” written by Marquez tells the audience about the kidnapping and abduction of some of the most well-known personalities in Colombia during the 1990s. The crimes were committed by a notorious drug cartel known as “Medellin Cartel”, which was developed and operated by Pablo Escobar. The group of Escobor kidnapped prominent individuals and eventually released them. The first part of the book describes the series of the abductions involving Maruja Pachon, the wife of a slain journalist, and her assistant, Beatriz Villamizar de Guerrero on the night of November 7, 1990. The book also discussed the other related kidnapping incidents involving other journalist who spoke about the truth. Drugs and money illicit power are the main elements illustrated in the book.
Thesis Statement: “When self-interest usurps a society, one becomes alienated from their moral judgment”.
Discussion
The public presumes that Maruja was kidnapped because she was the wife of the slain journalist, who was also the founder of the New Liberalism. Maruja’s husband Luis Carlos Galan was killed because he wanted change in the community. Galan was hopeful that he can revitalize and modernize the corrupt Liberal Party (Garcia 22). Beatriz was also abducted together with Maruja since she was her personal assistant who also happens to be her sister-in-law. The book recounts the series of interrelated abductions of Diana Turbay, who was the director of the television news program, and four other news crew members of her team. Turbay is the famous daughter of Julio Cesar Turbay, who was the former Colombian president and a Liberal Party leader Another abduction took place which included journalists and writers including Azucena Lievano, Juan Vitta, Hero Buss, Francisco Calderon and Marina Montoya (Garcia 40). It is unfortunate that the kidnapped victims suffered the consequences of the journalists, who opposed drug trafficking and supported the extradition of Columbian Nationals such as in the case of Galan (Garcia 22).
Conclusion
Society is ruled by money and power. Money is so powerful that it can paralyze the moral judgment of a person. In this book, it was shown how illegality and lawlessness manipulated a society due to the selfish interests of people like Pablo Escobar. Escobar committed wrongdoings, with scant regard for morality after he was blinded by money and power. The drug lords and kidnapping syndicates use money to silence the journalists who opposed their criminal activities. These hardened criminals have scant regard for morality for they do respect the freedom of speech and the protected rights of innocent victims.
Works Cited:
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. News of a Kidnapping. New York: First Vintage International, 2008.
Print.
