Former Escobar Hitman 'Popeye' Turned YouTube Personality Dies of Cancer

Jhon Jairo Velásquez, infamously known by the alias 'Popeye,' was among the most feared operatives in the criminal organization led by Colombian narcotics kingpin Pablo Escobar during the 1980s and 1990s. Operating as a contract killer, Velásquez was implicated in over 250 documented murders and claimed personal involvement in as many as 3,000 killings, though independent verification of such figures remains disputed.

After serving 23 years in Colombian prisons, Velásquez was released and subsequently sought a public platform to discuss his violent history. He launched a YouTube channel titled 'Repentant Popeye,' through which he reflected on his criminal activities and offered commentary on Colombian governmental policies and law enforcement practices. The channel garnered considerable online viewership, transforming the aging assassin into an unlikely social media personality.

Velásquez's later life was marked by renewed legal troubles. Following a brief period of re-imprisonment, he was diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer. He succumbed to the disease in 2020, concluding a life that had oscillated between extreme violence and subsequent notoriety in the digital age. His trajectory from feared sicario to YouTube content creator underscored evolving narratives around redemption, criminality, and media in contemporary Latin America.