Colombia's most feared drug lord, who was shot dead in 1993, made billions of dollars smuggling cocaine into the United States.
Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar's name cannot be registered as a trademark for goods or services in the European Union, a court has ruled.
On Wednesday, the EU General Court in Luxembourg ruled that the name is associated with “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism and the crime and suffering resulting from them” and should not be afforded protection under intellectual property law. .
The court upheld the decision of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to reject Escobar's 2022 trademark application.
Escobar was founded in Puerto Rico by Pablo Escobar's younger brother, Roberto de Jesús Escobar Gaviria. Mr. Gaviria spent 12 years in prison for his role in his brother's criminal organization.
Pablo Escobar, one of the world's most notorious outlaws, was killed in a rooftop shootout with police and soldiers on December 2, 1993 in Medellin, Colombia.
He heads the Medellin Cartel, one of the world's most powerful criminal organizations, made a fortune smuggling cocaine into the United States, and is said to be responsible for thousands of deaths.
#EU General Court: The name Pablo Escobar cannot be registered as a name. #EUTrademark 👉 https://t.co/ATb3CgbPxg
— EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) April 17, 2024
The judge ruled that the trademark “is considered to be contrary to fundamental values and moral standards.” The court said Pablo Escobar had little to do with the good deeds he allegedly did for Colombia's poor.
Mr. Escobar has never been convicted of a criminal offense. However, the court ruled that although he has not been criminally convicted…he is publicly recognized as a symbol of organized crime who has committed many crimes and therefore enjoys the basic presumption of innocence. No rights have been violated.”
In 2020, Gaviria said his company will launch a foldable smartphone called Escobar Fold 1. According to the company's website, the company currently sells a cryptocurrency called Escobar Cash.
After Escobar's death, thousands of people died in cartel-related violence. Medellin, Colombia's second largest city, has been devastated by drug violence, car bombs and regular gun battles as drug cartels, the national army and private armed groups vie for supremacy.
