Griselda, is a Netflix crime thriller that revolves around a real-life female narcotic dealer, Griselda Blanco, a mentor to Pablo Escobar and a ferocious drug lady, who had the potential to take over an entire underworld business in Miami. In this six-part limited series, we’re introduced to a cast of interesting characters, some of whom are fictionalized for dramatic purposes while others are inspired by real-life figures who were connected with Griselda. Amongst these characters, one of the fictional ones presented in the series is Arturo Mesa, who is the amalgamation of all the genuine friends Griselda had in her life when she was at her lowest.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Was Arturo Mesa?
Arturo Mesa used to work as an accountant for Griselda Blanco’s husband, Alberto, who was a drug dealer, as well as the business partner of his brother, Fernando. Arturo Mesa had always seen Griselda’s plight but couldn’t voice his concerns because he wasn’t in a position to speak against it. Alberto had always been an egotistical and irresponsible husband who abused Griselda in various ways, so Griselda had to free herself from her torturous husband. Although her decision to kill her husband was questionable, Arturo never judged her decision because he knew what she had been through all her life when she was with Alberto. Arturo decided to support Griselda, knowing that she had the potential to become a powerful figure in the underworld. Therefore, when Griselda left Medellin to pursue a new life in Miami, Arturo put his faith in her and followed her to Miami to work for her.
Arturo had always been loyal to Griselda and stood by her side when no one else trusted her. Starting from business partners like German Panesso and Amilcar to her best friend, Carmen, no one could afford to trust Griselda’s worth because everyone believed that for a woman like her it was impossible to control an entire drug operation in this male-dominated world of crime, however, it was Arturo who never left her side. But Arturo was cautious and knew his limits. He could sense that Griselda was slowly getting hungry for power. Griselda had great potential to take control over the entirety of the drug business in Miami, but she wasn’t sensible enough to keep her ambition in check. She was getting increasingly unhinged to be the one and only dealer in town, while she completely forgot the fact that there were more formidable enemies around her. Not only Dario, Griselda’s lover, but Arturo too had tried to stop the boss, but Griselda became unstoppable in her voyage of power. She thought she might be able to persuade the Ochoas, the most fierce Colombian Cartel family, but she had no idea how dangerous they were.
How Did Arturo Die?
Griselda managed to strike a deal with Rafa Salazar and became a successful drug dealer in Miami. Not only that, she had also gathered a huge army of Marielitos, the Cuban immigrants, who backed her in her business. Griselda had already sent her men to kill German Panesso and Papo Mejia, so she had already become a pretty intimidating figure in this business. However, Griselda couldn’t stop right there, as she wanted to take over the reins from the Ochoas and run the entire drug operation in Miami. She contacted Rafa Salazar and asked him to set up a meeting with Fabio Ochoa, the head of this cartel clan, and Rafa complied with Griselda’s demands. Griselda didn’t even imagine in her worst nightmare that she might face the horrific reality of the Ochoas, so thinking they would go easy on her, she took her most trusted friend and legal advisor, Arturo, with her to meet Fabio and Rafa. Rafa and Fabio welcomed Griselda and Arturo. Fabio, knowing that Griselda wanted to replace him, admired her audacious decision to meet him.
Not only that, Fabio really praised her for her accomplishments and called her a ruthless female narco who had proved her worth beyond their expectations. But as Griselda’s demands multiplied, that started to bother Fabio, so he wanted to give her a reality check that she couldn’t just do whatever she wanted, because the Ochoas were still the bosses and always would be. As instructed by Fabio, Rafa put a bullet in Arturo’s head, finishing him off. Arturo had no idea what was about to happen to him. He had accompanied Griselda, knowing very well that she would be able to win over Fabio Ochoa, but as she failed to do that, he lost his life. Arturo unknowingly risked his own life for Griselda, which led her to descend into the darkness of despair. Witnessing Arturo’s death in front of her eyes and being unable to do anything to stop it, Griselda slowly started losing her mind. The fact that she would still have to work for the people who had killed her most trusted friend began to eat her from within, but she was determined she would make Rafa pay for the great loss she had just endured. However, as time passed, Griselda couldn’t even keep her sanity in check. She started taking drugs and became an addict, which marked the beginning of her end. She became so paranoid that everyone around her was an informant working for the police. Starting from Carmen to even her beloved Dario, no one was safe from her suspicions. Eventually, her madness led her to attack Carmen, who realized that Griselda wouldn’t even hesitate to kill her, forsaking their friendship and longstanding connection. Therefore, Carmen became the whistleblower, and the police subsequently arrested Griselda.
Griselda and one of her closest friends, Arturo’s journey ended tragically because of their violent past and their increasing demands to rise to power. Even though Arturo had always been an advisor and a true friend to Griselda, he wasn’t an innocent man. He also chose the path of violence by supporting Griselda and encouraging her in her criminal methods. Therefore, as a punishment, he had to accept his tragic destiny in a horrific way.
