Sean Penn Held Secret Interview With Fugitive Drug Lord ‘El Chapo,’ Joaquín Guzmán Loera

Sean Penn conducted a set of secret interviews for Rolling Stone magazine with fugitive Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman Loera, better known as “El Chapo.”

 

Penn met with the drug lord in person to discuss various topics. “El Chapo” was wanted after escaping the Altiplano I federal penitentiary in Mexico using a secret tunnel in July 2015. His escape led to a world wide manhunt. It ended this week when he was recaptured on Friday. The article hit the internet Saturday night.

Despite being known as a violent and destructive man, El Chapo  told Penn that he doesn’t see himself as “violent.” Guzman was the head of the Sinaloa drug cartel that led an international drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime syndicate.

The drug lord told Penn that he simply wanted to defend himself. “Look, all I do is defend myself, nothing more. But do I start trouble? Never,” he said.

In one part of the interview that was conducted in October somewhere in Mexico’s wilderness, the drug lord said he hasn’t used any drug in 20 years. His goal was “to live with my family the days God gives me.” He also said that he’s “a person who’s not looking for problems in any way.”

The raid of Guzmán’s residence in Mexico ended with five suspects dead after a gun battle. According to Mexican officials, the raid was constructed over six months of planning. Authorities planned to invade the residence in October but aborted due to the presence of women and children. It was also the same month Penn visited.

On Sunday, an anonymous Mexican authority said that they were able to track Guzmán in October because of the interview Penn conducted.

Authorities also said that the infamous drug lord wanted to create a biopic of this life.  Guzman is now back in the same maximum security prison from which he previously escaped and is facing extradition to the U.S.