Carlos Lehder: The Nazi Drug Lord

by Zoltanous

Carlos Lehder, born in 1949 in Armenia, Colombia, became a significant member of the notorious Medellín Cartel, a major drug trafficking syndicate. He was the son of a German father, who moved to Colombia before World War II, and a Colombian mother, giving him a diverse cultural background. Lehder's beliefs were an eclectic mix, drawing from Nazism, Catholicism, environmentalism, anti-communism, anti-imperialism, and Bolivarianism. He championed Hispanic-American unity and had ambitions of creating a National Socialist regime in Colombia. Lehder's youth was marked by various criminal activities. At 15, he relocated to New York, where he quickly got involved in petty crimes. He left school early to delve into the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli and Hermann Hesse, and he greatly admired Adolf Hitler, with Mein Kampf having a significant impact on him. By 20, he had been arrested numerous times for crimes like car theft and smuggling.

A photo of Lehder

In 1973, Lehder was sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling marijuana in a stolen vehicle. During his incarceration, he met George Jung, a fellow inmate and drug dealer. Upon his parole in late 1975, Lehder, along with Jung, began using a small plane and a skilled pilot to transport cocaine from the Bahamas to the United States. This venture significantly boosted their financial assets and strengthened their connections in Colombia. Around this time, they started bribing Bahamian officials to secure legal protection, marking the beginnings of what would become the Medellín Cartel. Their operation involved transporting and distributing cocaine supplied by Pablo Escobar, propelling Lehder to a significant role in the drug trafficking world.

Lehder and his associates in the cartel gained immense wealth through their cocaine operations, earning them the nickname Los Mágicos (The Magicians) for seemingly becoming wealthy overnight. However, Lehder was more famously known as the Henry Ford of cocaine due to his innovative smuggling strategies. Rising from a background of minor offenses, Lehder became a pivotal figure in the Medellín Cartel. His contributions were crucial to the cartel's success in drug trafficking.

The Medellín Cartel

For Lehder, drug smuggling was not just a path to riches; it was a tool for his political ambitions. According to David Scott Palmer, Lehder viewed the drug trade as a form of "anti-imperialist struggle" aimed at undermining the United States, which he saw as a pillar of the "oppressive global order." While he amassed billions from these illicit activities, his ultimate goal was to establish a National Socialist regime in Colombia, and weaken the United States through the chaos induced by cocaine. Lehder, who harbored strong anti-American sentiments, admired John Lennon for his stance against the Vietnam War. He was also involved in the National Socialist Movement of Colombia. Michael Taussig suggested that Lehder's Nazism was mostly fueled by his disdain for the United States, which he equated with global capitalism and imperialism. 

‪“Cocaine is the Colombians atomic bomb against the US.”‬

‪— Carlos Lehder, attributed to Lehder

Carlos Lehder's involvement in Nazi politics was closely tied to his drug trafficking operations. Charles F. Bergman described Lehder as viewing himself more as a "political revolutionary" than just a drug lord. Lehder leveraged his wealth and power to back nationalist paramilitary groups in Colombia, which he believed aligned with his anti-American and anti-capitalist views. His boldness increased over time, and he even mocked the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) by distributing leaflets in the Bahamas that read, "Go home, DEA." The DEA eventually raided Norman's Cay in 1980, prompting Lehder to flee to Colombia. Although his smuggling operations had significantly enriched the Medellín cartel, his actions began to create tension with Pablo Escobar.

Lehder ventured into politics in 1982 in Quindío, founding the National Latin Civic Movement. This political party was built on anti-communism, anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, non-alignment, anti-Zionism, and surprisingly, anti-fascism. While some, like A. James Gregor, might argue that his anti-fascist stance was a guise, Lehder advocated for a return to fascist ideas under the guise of shouting "Death to Fascism." He identified as a Latin Americanist, nationalist, regionalist, Bolivarian, moralist, ecologist, republican, and Catholic, advocating for the legalization of certain drugs and supporting a Hispanic-American or Ibero-American alliance similar to NATO, complete with its own military. Lehder held press conferences and published articles in Colombian newspapers criticizing the country's extradition treaty with the United States. He defended Hitler by disputing the historical records of the Holocaust and condemned U.S. involvement in Latin American affairs.

A photo of the National Latin Civic Movement

Carlos Lehder's activities were drawing increasing scrutiny from law enforcement. A raid by the Colombian National Police on one of his properties uncovered millions of dollars, along with numerous photographs and Nazi memorabilia. Lehder's downfall accelerated after he killed one of Pablo Escobar's hitmen during a party at Hacienda Nápoles. This incident marked a turning point, and it's rumored that Escobar himself tipped off the Colombian authorities about Lehder's whereabouts. On February 4, 1987, Lehder became the first person extradited to the United States under the Colombia-U.S. treaty, where he faced a life sentence. Lehder's criminal career came to a halt when he was captured in 1987 and extradited to the U.S. There, he faced charges including drug trafficking, racketeering, and conspiracy, resulting in a life sentence without parole.

Lehder being extradited

He eventually provided information about General Noriega, the Panamanian dictator involved in drug trafficking, leading to his eventual release. Despite his downfall, Lehder's influence continues to resonate in Colombia and beyond. On June 16, 2020, after serving his time, he was repatriated to Germany. Today, Lehder is recognized as the last surviving major figure of the Medellín Cartel, having outlasted both Escobar and Jhon Jairo Velásquez Vásquez "JJ/Popeye."