Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina turned a goal in the 2004 Copa Libertadores finalwith Once Caldas, and was recorded in the history of Colombian football, as was his role in the team that surprised the world by beating Boca Juniors. However, the former player’s life took an unexpected turn. Today, after being extradited to the United States for drug traffickingis serving a prison sentence.
His career as a professional athlete began promisingly, but bad decisions led him down a path very different from that of sporting glory.
What was Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina’s career like?
The footballer was born in Oaks, Valle del CaucaColombia, on October 27, 1978. In his hometown he began his career in the Deportivo Pastowhere he took his first steps in professional football. Later, he went through the Cali Americaanother highly renowned Colombian club, before achieving international fame with Once Caldas.
In 2004, the midfielder was a key player in the Manizales team’s historic campaign, which culminated with the conquest of the Copa Libertadores against Boca Juniors. Viáfara scored a goal in the second leg final, which made him the hero of the night against the Argentine team. His performance in that tournament earned him recognition as America’s best playeraccording to Conmebol.
After that success, his talent took him to Europe. In 2005, he signed with portsmouthof the English Premier League, where he showed an acceptable performance. Later, he went to Royal Societyin Spain, and returned to English football to play with Southampton until 2008.
Viáfara returned to Colombia in 2010, when he joined Equity. In that team they played the final of the Apertura Tournament, but they lost against Junior de Barranquilla. The following year, he joined the squad of the Barranquilla club, where he participated in the 2011 Copa Libertadores. However, differences with coach Jorge Luis Pinto led to his departure from the squad.
The midfielder continued his career in teams such as Deportivo Pereira and Deportivo Cali, an institution in which he played until 2013. Despite his talent, his career began to lose shine, and finally, he retired from professional football.
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From football to bars: why Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina was sentenced
After leaving the playing fields, the former soccer player’s life took a drastic turn. In March 2019, was arrested in CaliColombia, accused of being part of a drug trafficking network linked to the Gulf Clan. According to investigations, Viáfara was responsible for coordinating the Pacific route to Mexico to transport drugs in fast boats and aircraft.
In 2020, was extradited to the United States, where it was declared guilty of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine. American authorities sentenced him to 135 months in prisonafter verifying his participation in a criminal organization that had links with the Sinaloa cartel.
During operations against this network, 2.5 tons of cocaine were seized, whose value in the illicit market was around 28 million dollars. In addition, more than 20 people were arrested.
From his cell in Atlanta, the Colombian has reflected on the mistakes that led him to this situation. In interviews, he talked about the impact of his decisions on his life and the lives of his loved ones.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
