Souvenirs with pictures of the late infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar may be banned in Colombia if legislators approve a bill introduced his week in the South American nation's congress. The bill generates a polarizing debate between those selling the goods to tourists from all over the world who are against the bill, and those who think the country should no longer be affiliated with mob bosses are in support it . The proposed law demands that sellers of items featuring Escobar or other convicted criminals should be fined up to $170, adding that police could also wear T-shirts, hats, or other clothes that shows a sort of reverence of the the notorious drug lord.
Drug lord known for association with Pablo Escobar arrested at luxury villa Real-life story of 'cocaine godmother' Griselda Blanco and Pablo Escobar link "These items are revictimizing people who were victims of murderers," said Cristian Avendaño, a representative from Colombia’s Green Party and co-drafter of the bill. "We must protect the right of the victims to recover..
.and find other symbols for our country." Meanwhile, the drug lord's notroious image is highly marketed by locals who want to cash in on the rising interest in him among tourists from North America, Europe, and other Latin American countries.
In Bogota's La Candelaria area, souvenir sellers said they opppose the bill, which they claimed was trying to limit free speech. A street vendor told the Associated Press that he would stop selling Escobar i.