Digital romance became El Chapo's undoing

Transcripts of text messages published Wednesday by the Mexican newspaper Milenio suggest the world’s most powerful drug lord may have been trapped in a web spun by his own desires, a popular television temptress, and an agenda-driven American movie star.

The messages revealed drug trafficker Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo,” was eager to meet with popular Mexican actress Kate del Castillo—not so much to make a movie or be interviewed for a magazine story—but to take their digital romance to the next level.

The pair began exchanging flirtatious texts in September 2015—two months after Guzman escaped from a maximum security Mexican prison. In one exchange translated by CNN, Guzman told Castillo he wanted her to meet his mother and would take care of the actress “more than my own eyes.”

When Castillo asked if actor Sean Penn could tag along to interview him for a magazine story, Guzman, with no apparent familiarity with the actor, told her she could bring whoever she wanted. The next month, Castillo and Penn interviewed Guzman in central Mexico. Afterward, Castillo texted, “I’m very excited about our story … It’s the only thing I can think of.” Guzman replied, “Let me tell you that I’m more excited about you than the story, my friend.”

Michael Vigil, former head of DEA international operations, called Castillo “Mexico’s Sharon Stone.” While Guzman is a drug kingpin in real life, Castillo played one on TV—her most memorable role was as a drug lord in the 2011 series, “The Queen of the South.” Investigators found copies of the show in a search of Guzman’s hideout after his Friday capture in Los Mochis, Sinaloa.

Vigil said Castillo’s phone calls, texts, and other communications must have been monitored by Mexican authorities beginning with her first real contact with Guzman last year, while he was still in prison. Since his capture, Mexican officials have hinted that Castillo and Penn’s actions provided valuable intelligence that led to his apprehension.

Guzman’s crush on Castillo may have been sparked even earlier—by a bizarre tweet she posted in January 2012. After denouncing men, religion, and the Mexican government, she made it personal: “Mr. Chapo, wouldn’t it be cool that you started trafficking with love? With cures for diseases, with food for the homeless children …” Her digital rant ended with the suggestion El Chapo provide “alcohol for the retirement homes.” After that, Guzman dispatched his lawyer to make arrangements with Castillo for a possible meeting—including the acquisition of Blackberry phones for messaging purposes.

Penn praised Castillo’s 2012 tweet in a rambling account of events released Saturday by Rolling Stone, saying it “expressed a dream, perhaps an encouragement to El Chapo himself.” When asked about his role in the October 2015 meeting with Guzman, Penn said he had nothing to hide. In an interview set to air Sunday on 60 Minutes, Penn claims his intent in writing about Guzman was to shed new light on U.S. drug policy. He failed only because attention shifted to Guzman’s recapture and the role he unwittingly played in that, said Penn, who took a jab at the Mexican government for its inability to track the drug lord.

Mexican officials were “clearly very humiliated” by the situation, Penn said.

The Associated Press contributed to the report.