Netflix has released the new crime thriller, Facing El Chapo, that revisits one of the most dramatic moments in Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán’s long-running pursuit. Based on real events, this film focuses on his recapture in 2016.
Guzmán had escaped from the high-security Altiplano prison just months earlier which made his return to custody a major victory for Mexican authorities. But instead of focusing on his cartel empire, the film puts the spotlight on the federal officers who unexpectedly came face-to-face with him.
Notably, the officers didn't just deal with Guzmán but also his armed associate Jorge Iván "El Cholo Iván" Gastélum. Tensions intensified when the captured men were taken to a motel and there, Guzmán tried to convince the officers to let him go.
While Facing El Capo follows the true events of the capture, it doesn't directly serve as a documentary. Parts of the story have been dramatized along with some fictional characters and scenes, but the main events are rooted in the real-life operation.
Unpack more details about this crime thriller below!
Facing El Chapo: The real capture that inspired the Netflix thriller
As explained earlier, Facing El Chapo follows the real and final manhunt for Joaquín Guzmán, the longtime leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. It was in 2015 when he escaped through the tunnels connected to his cell and became one of Mexico's most wanted fugitives.
His second prison escape put enormous pressure on Mexican authorities to find him again. That search eventually led to Operation Black Swan on January 8, 2016. For the quest, Mexican Navy special forces moved into a safe house in the Las Palmas area of Los Mochis, Sinaloa.
Soon, a raid turned into a gun battle. Five suspected cartel members were killed, six others were arrested and a Marine was wounded, but Guzmán managed to slip away with his associate, Jorge Iván "El Cholo Iván" Gastélum.
The two escaped through one of the spaces of the house that was connected to the city's drainage system. After emerging in Los Mochis, they needed another way out and first took a white Volkswagen Jetta before abandoning it.
The duo then eized a red Ford Focus from a woman traveling with her family. The car theft was reported to the police and the vehicle was immediately put on the radar of Federal Police officers.
El Chapo and El Cholo Iván kept driving and when officers stopped the vehicle, they had no idea that the man inside is El Chapo, the most wanted fugitive. This is what Netflix's Facing El Chapo also reveals, how officers confronted the two fugitives who were at the center of the massive manhunt.
Facing El Chapo turned a routine traffic stop into a dangerous standoff
Facing El Chapo became far more dangerous once the officers realized who they had stopped. El Cholo Iván was armed and warned that cartel members were on their way. It triggered fear as the situation could have turned deadly and more challenging.
Rather than risk taking Guzmán straight to a major facility, the officers moved him to a nearby motel while they waited for additional security forces. For around 20 minutes, they stayed with those two fugitives.
Guzmán reportedly tried to persuade the officers to release him and even offered them a big financial reward along with homes and businesses. But the conversation was quite dark, as El Chapo also highlighted what might happen if the officers refuse.
They ultimately rejected the offer and kept him in custody. Photographs were taken to confirm his identity and were passed to senior officials as authorities worked to secure the arrest.
Soon, Federal Police, Army and Navy personnel arrived to reinforce the officers. Guzmán was then transferred into government custody and taken by a Navy helicopter to Mexico City which ended his final escape.
How much of Facing El Chapo is actually true?
Facing El Chapo is based on a real capture, but the Netflix thriller should not be treated as a documentary. The foundation of this crime thriller comes from journalist Héctor de Mauleón’s 2016 reporting, which drew on accounts from officers involved in the operation.
However, the main events about El Chapo's recapture are based on what happened that year. However, the filmmakers took creative liberties to shape the story for the screen.
The number of officers has been reduced, while characters such as Arturo Carmona and Héctor Rosales are fictionalized composites rather than exact portrayals of individual officers. Their personal lives, conversations and some connecting scenes are also dramatized.
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Edited by Alisha Khan
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