Sean Penn secretly went to a secluded jungle clearing somewhere in Mexico where he was given the opportunity to interview infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquín Guzmán Loera (a.k.a. "El Chapo"). The illuminating conversation shed light into the scope of Chapo's operation, the amount of public officials under his control and the vast amount of power the Mexican kingpin has managed to acquire. The interviews began in October after "El Chapo" had escaped from a Mexican prison in a daring feat the puzzled officials all over the world.
During the interview, the drug kingpin said, unapologetically, "I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats."
Mr. Guzman's fortune is estimated at $1 billion, according to the New York Times. Despite the violence and criminal activity that funded the gang leader's fortune, "El Chapo" insists that he is not a violent man. "Look, all I do is defend myself, nothing more," he told Penn in the interview. "But do I start trouble? Never."
The seven-hour conversation took a series of interesting turns. At one point, Mr. Penn mentioned Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, upon whom Chapo apparently put a $100 million bounty. Mr. Guzman referred to the incendiary presidential contender as "Mi amigo."
Finally, the conversation turned to Guzman's legacy and his eventual death. After evading the law for so many years, one is warranted in wondering what the drug lord's next move may be. Says Guzman, "I know one day I will die. I hope it's of natural causes." However, Guzman's plans of a peaceful exit may be more of a pipe dream than a reality, as the drug leader has been captured in Mexico this week.
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