Mexican actress Kate del Castillo recently made waves by facilitating a clandestine interview in Mexico between actor Sean Penn and notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán. However, her representatives and tabloids are reporting she feels betrayed by Penn for using her and not giving her more credit.
On January 20, Univision reporter Jorge Ramos interviewed respected Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho about a meeting Cacho had with del Castillo a week earlier. In a transcript of the interview provided by the Houston Chronicle, Cacho said Penn betrayed del Castillo by leaving her out of the Rolling Stone magazine article that carried his name. Ramos asked if del Castillo felt it was a betrayal, and Cacho responded, “From my point of view, of course, yes it was. I also believe, there was a sort of sexism, racism, by Sean,” she continued. “He used her, he used her and then he left her by herself.”
The United Kingdom tabloid Daily Mail reported that Penn didn’t even tell her he was writing an article for Rolling Stone until moments before they met with Guzmán in Mexico. Del Castillo was supposedly only under the impression they were just there to discuss making a movie about Guzmán’s life. Unidentified sources reportedly told the online tabloid TMZ del Castillo was also furious because journalists have legal immunity in Mexico, which she did not have since Penn left her in the dark.
While tabloid reports are rarely reliable, what is more certain is that del Castillo is concerned about the Mexican government retaliating against her for the meeting.
“Lydia Cacho: Kate received a threat from a friend who is an actress – from the Secretary of State that there was not going to be a movie and not to get involved with this issue and not to get involved. There’s clearly a concern on the part of the Mexican government of what this man could reveal.”
One of the reasons many drug war observers believe the Mexican government declined to extradite El Chapo after his second capture in February 2014 was concern over secrets the kingpin would reveal about corrupt Mexican officials. Cacho stated further:
“The Mexican government is not used to that from the entertainment sector and specially from the Television sector, which is totally connected to the Mexican government, that there would be criticism against the government on issues of such volatility such as the corruption, and of course with the conflicts of interest with the White House.”
The Mexican government is investigating any financial links between Guzmán and del Castillo. However, the actress has yet to be charged with any crime.
Sylvia Longmire is a border security expert and Contributing Editor for Breitbart Texas. You can read more about cross-border issues in her latest book, Border Insecurity: Why Big Money, Fences, and Drones Aren’t Making Us Safer.
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