A billboard of Netflix's "Narcos" has sparked a controversy that has offended the Colombians. Featuring the image Wagner Moura, who played the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in the series, the signage was erected at the Sol Square in Spain's capital of Madrid.
Colombians living in Madrid first launched a protest against the billboard, which echoed all the way to their home country. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has asked the mayor of Madrid to take down the billboard of "Narcos." Its appearance coincided with the 23rd anniversary of Pablo Escobar's death and Colombians think it shouldn't be celebrated this way.
"The series is very good, but we Colombians lived the drama of Pablo Escobar and that suffering still hurts," Santos told the press during a radio interview, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The TV show billboard seems to be honoring the drug lord as a hero, which the Colombians find offensive.
But as of press time, the "Narcos" Netflix billboard still remains in full view of the public. According to Colombia Reports, the city hall believes Netflix didn't violate any of their laws by erecting the advertisement.
Narcos Billboard in Madrid: "Oh, White Xmas" pic.twitter.com/uLW6t2Q729
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The streaming platform has also not addressed the controversy and this is not the first time the show has been disputed. When Season 2 of "Narcos" was released in in September, Pablo Escobar's son, Sebastian Morroquin, slammed the show for its inaccuracy. He cited 28 instances where the show bent the truth for the purpose of a dramatic storytelling, according to Telegraph.
Prior to the release of "Narcos" Season 2, Pablo Escobar's brother, Roberto Escobar, also demanded Netflix pay his family $1 billion for the story he claims is full of lies, according to Newsweek. He also wanted a hand in the development of the show's second season, which by then was almost ready for release.
Meanwhile, "Narcos" Season 3 is in the middle of production in Colombia. It will veer off Pablo Escobar's story and focus on the Cali Cartel. Netflix has not announced its release date yet. Keep checking back to this site for more about the show.
