How did Pablo Escobar rise to power within the Medellín Cartel?

Pablo Escobar rose to power by co-founding the Medellín cartel in the mid-1970s. He became the cartel's leader, focusing on the production, transport, and sale of cocaine. By the mid-1980s, the cartel dominated the cocaine trade, amassing immense wealth and power for Escobar, estimated at $25 billion. He employed a ruthless strategy of "plata o plomo" (silver or lead), using bribes and violence against rivals, officials, and civilians. His wealth allowed him to fund public projects, earning him some popular support, while simultaneously engaging in extreme violence, including a bombing that killed over 100 people.1234