From his prison escapes to his Twitter wars, discover some of the wildest facts about Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
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1 of 31Because Joaquín Guzmán grew up poor in a rural area, he began selling marijuana in elementary school. By age 15, he was his family’s primary breadwinner. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 2 of 31He was first recognized on Forbes’ list of billionaires in 2009. At the time, his cartel was responsible for supplying nearly half of America’s drugs. Flickr 3 of 31Because the Sinaloa Cartel transported more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine into Chicago each month, Guzmán was the first criminal to be named “Public Enemy No. 1” in the city since Al Capone. Wikimedia Commons 4 of 31His most recent wife was American-born beauty queen Emma Coronel. They first met during her 17th birthday party because her father was one of Guzmán’s cartel officers. Telemundo/YouTube 5 of 31He ordered his wife to travel to the U.S. to give birth so that he would have “anchor babies” and a new secure foothold in the country.Telemundo/YouTube 6 of 31Authorities tried to stop his wife from entering the U.S. to give birth, but had no formal charges that they could file. So, she succeeded in giving birth inside the U.S. but left the father’s name blank on the birth certificate.Univision/YouTube 7 of 31Guzmán’s drug empire eventually grew to a massive size with operations linking five continents. DEA 8 of 31Joaquín Guzmán had a lover in prison who was a former police officer. Zulema Hernandez was in prison for aiding drug traffickers and developed a romance with Guzmán. She was later murdered after her release from prison. Mexico National Security Commission 9 of 31El Chapo’s first prison break involved up to 78 accomplices and bribes totaling around $2.5 million. Manuel Velasquez/LatinContent/Getty Images 10 of 31His second prison break involved using a motorcycle to journey through an escape tunnel. Telemundo/YouTube 11 of 31Joaquín Guzmán has been known to get into flame wars via Twitter, including one with Donald Trump. In 2015, Guzmán told him, “I’m going to make you eat your words.“Wikimedia Commons 12 of 31An attempt was made on El Chapo’s life in 1993 when assassins fired rounds into a car they believed to be his at a Guadalajara airport. Seven people were killed — but El Chapo wasn’t even in the car. AFP/AFP/Getty Images 13 of 31El Chapo built a large home for his mother, Consuelo Loera, with his earnings. PBS/YouTube 14 of 31He’s become a pretty popular topic for songwriters. But instead of being condemned, his life has been romanticized in Narcocorrido ballads, a kind of folk music from Northern Mexico. Wikimedia Commons 15 of 31He’s been called the “Osama bin Laden of drug-trafficking” because of his ruthless methods and elusive ability to hide from law enforcement.Telemundo/YouTube 16 of 31As a free man, El Chapo would pick up the check for everybody whenever he went to restaurants. Patrons had no choice but to accept the offer — because they weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant until after he paid. Univision/YouTube 17 of 31In one of these reported incidents, El Chapo’s henchman was said to have entered a restaurant before him and announced: “Gentlemen, please. Give me a moment of your time. A man is going to come in, the boss. We ask that you remain in your seats; the doors will close and nobody is allowed to leave. You will also not be allowed to use your cellulars. Do not worry; if you do everything that is asked of you, nothing will happen. Continue eating and don’t ask for your check. The boss will pay.“STR/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 31During Joaquín Guzmán’s stint in a Mexican prison from 1993 to 2001, he had drugs, alcohol, and sex workers brought in to keep himself occupied.CBS/YouTube 19 of 31The method of Joaquín Guzmán’s first prison escape has been debated, with some saying that he was wheeled out in a laundry cart. Wikimedia Commons 20 of 31The Guzmán-led Sinaloa Cartel was a prime target of the U.S. ATF strategy “Operation Fast and Furious,” which used the selling of automatic weapons to track drug kingpins.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 31At the time of his most recent arrest, the bounty on him was listed at $5 million by the United States government. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 22 of 31Many of El Chapo’s relatives — including his son, brother, and nephew — have worked alongside him in the drug trade, and have been murdered by his rivals.YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images 23 of 31El Chapo has been credited with creating at least 62 smuggling tunnels that police have located between the United States and Mexico. Manuel Velasquez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 24 of 31Actor Sean Penn was credited with landing the first interview with El Chapo in an article that was later published by Rolling Stone. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 25 of 31Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, which took place deep in the jungle, was credited with helping lead authorities to the drug lord. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images 26 of 31Joaquín Guzmán was married four times and was known to still be in contact with his first wife up until the point of his most recent arrest. Telemundo/YouTube 27 of 31During his most recent arrest, he was peacefully taken into custody while making breakfast for his wife and two daughters in a small apartment. HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images 28 of 31Joaquín Guzmán never had a shortage of people coming to see him in prison. Lawyers, family members, and associates regularly came to visit, totaling 500 visitations. Wikimedia Commons 29 of 31His birthday is somewhat of a mystery. Official documents have his birthday listed as both December 25, 1954 and April 4, 1957.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 30 of 31He’s portrayed as a folk hero in some parts of Mexico, with his image being made into shirts, statues, and even Halloween masks. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 31 of 31Like this gallery?Share it:
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30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History View Gallery
If you were to lay out the facts of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s life, you’d think they were ripped from the pages of a Hollywood movie script: assassination attempts, worldwide domination of the illegal drug trade, prison escapes, and encounters with movie stars deep in the jungle.
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
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1 of 31Because Joaquín Guzmán grew up poor in a rural area, he began selling marijuana in elementary school. By age 15, he was his family’s primary breadwinner. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 2 of 31He was first recognized on Forbes’ list of billionaires in 2009. At the time, his cartel was responsible for supplying nearly half of America’s drugs. Flickr 3 of 31Because the Sinaloa Cartel transported more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine into Chicago each month, Guzmán was the first criminal to be named “Public Enemy No. 1” in the city since Al Capone. Wikimedia Commons 4 of 31His most recent wife was American-born beauty queen Emma Coronel. They first met during her 17th birthday party because her father was one of Guzmán’s cartel officers. Telemundo/YouTube 5 of 31He ordered his wife to travel to the U.S. to give birth so that he would have “anchor babies” and a new secure foothold in the country.Telemundo/YouTube 6 of 31Authorities tried to stop his wife from entering the U.S. to give birth, but had no formal charges that they could file. So, she succeeded in giving birth inside the U.S. but left the father’s name blank on the birth certificate.Univision/YouTube 7 of 31Guzmán’s drug empire eventually grew to a massive size with operations linking five continents. DEA 8 of 31Joaquín Guzmán had a lover in prison who was a former police officer. Zulema Hernandez was in prison for aiding drug traffickers and developed a romance with Guzmán. She was later murdered after her release from prison. Mexico National Security Commission 9 of 31El Chapo’s first prison break involved up to 78 accomplices and bribes totaling around $2.5 million. Manuel Velasquez/LatinContent/Getty Images 10 of 31His second prison break involved using a motorcycle to journey through an escape tunnel. Telemundo/YouTube 11 of 31Joaquín Guzmán has been known to get into flame wars via Twitter, including one with Donald Trump. In 2015, Guzmán told him, “I’m going to make you eat your words.“Wikimedia Commons 12 of 31An attempt was made on El Chapo’s life in 1993 when assassins fired rounds into a car they believed to be his at a Guadalajara airport. Seven people were killed — but El Chapo wasn’t even in the car. AFP/AFP/Getty Images 13 of 31El Chapo built a large home for his mother, Consuelo Loera, with his earnings. PBS/YouTube 14 of 31He’s become a pretty popular topic for songwriters. But instead of being condemned, his life has been romanticized in Narcocorrido ballads, a kind of folk music from Northern Mexico. Wikimedia Commons 15 of 31He’s been called the “Osama bin Laden of drug-trafficking” because of his ruthless methods and elusive ability to hide from law enforcement.Telemundo/YouTube 16 of 31As a free man, El Chapo would pick up the check for everybody whenever he went to restaurants. Patrons had no choice but to accept the offer — because they weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant until after he paid. Univision/YouTube 17 of 31In one of these reported incidents, El Chapo’s henchman was said to have entered a restaurant before him and announced: “Gentlemen, please. Give me a moment of your time. A man is going to come in, the boss. We ask that you remain in your seats; the doors will close and nobody is allowed to leave. You will also not be allowed to use your cellulars. Do not worry; if you do everything that is asked of you, nothing will happen. Continue eating and don’t ask for your check. The boss will pay.“STR/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 31During Joaquín Guzmán’s stint in a Mexican prison from 1993 to 2001, he had drugs, alcohol, and sex workers brought in to keep himself occupied.CBS/YouTube 19 of 31The method of Joaquín Guzmán’s first prison escape has been debated, with some saying that he was wheeled out in a laundry cart. Wikimedia Commons 20 of 31The Guzmán-led Sinaloa Cartel was a prime target of the U.S. ATF strategy “Operation Fast and Furious,” which used the selling of automatic weapons to track drug kingpins.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 31At the time of his most recent arrest, the bounty on him was listed at $5 million by the United States government. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 22 of 31Many of El Chapo’s relatives — including his son, brother, and nephew — have worked alongside him in the drug trade, and have been murdered by his rivals.YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images 23 of 31El Chapo has been credited with creating at least 62 smuggling tunnels that police have located between the United States and Mexico. Manuel Velasquez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 24 of 31Actor Sean Penn was credited with landing the first interview with El Chapo in an article that was later published by Rolling Stone. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 25 of 31Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, which took place deep in the jungle, was credited with helping lead authorities to the drug lord. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images 26 of 31Joaquín Guzmán was married four times and was known to still be in contact with his first wife up until the point of his most recent arrest. Telemundo/YouTube 27 of 31During his most recent arrest, he was peacefully taken into custody while making breakfast for his wife and two daughters in a small apartment. HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images 28 of 31Joaquín Guzmán never had a shortage of people coming to see him in prison. Lawyers, family members, and associates regularly came to visit, totaling 500 visitations. Wikimedia Commons 29 of 31His birthday is somewhat of a mystery. Official documents have his birthday listed as both December 25, 1954 and April 4, 1957.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 30 of 31He’s portrayed as a folk hero in some parts of Mexico, with his image being made into shirts, statues, and even Halloween masks. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 31 of 31Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Meet Amado Carrillo Fuentes, The Powerful Mexican Drug Trafficker Who Became The ‘Lord Of The Skies’
El Chapo House That Once Contained A Secret Passageway Under The Bathtub Is Raffled Off By Mexican National Lottery
Crime Sometimes Pays: Inside The Home Of A Mexican Drug Lord
1 of 31Because Joaquín Guzmán grew up poor in a rural area, he began selling marijuana in elementary school. By age 15, he was his family’s primary breadwinner. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 2 of 31He was first recognized on Forbes’ list of billionaires in 2009. At the time, his cartel was responsible for supplying nearly half of America’s drugs. Flickr 3 of 31Because the Sinaloa Cartel transported more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine into Chicago each month, Guzmán was the first criminal to be named “Public Enemy No. 1” in the city since Al Capone. Wikimedia Commons 4 of 31His most recent wife was American-born beauty queen Emma Coronel. They first met during her 17th birthday party because her father was one of Guzmán’s cartel officers. Telemundo/YouTube 5 of 31He ordered his wife to travel to the U.S. to give birth so that he would have “anchor babies” and a new secure foothold in the country.Telemundo/YouTube 6 of 31Authorities tried to stop his wife from entering the U.S. to give birth, but had no formal charges that they could file. So, she succeeded in giving birth inside the U.S. but left the father’s name blank on the birth certificate.Univision/YouTube 7 of 31Guzmán’s drug empire eventually grew to a massive size with operations linking five continents. DEA 8 of 31Joaquín Guzmán had a lover in prison who was a former police officer. Zulema Hernandez was in prison for aiding drug traffickers and developed a romance with Guzmán. She was later murdered after her release from prison. Mexico National Security Commission 9 of 31El Chapo’s first prison break involved up to 78 accomplices and bribes totaling around $2.5 million. Manuel Velasquez/LatinContent/Getty Images 10 of 31His second prison break involved using a motorcycle to journey through an escape tunnel. Telemundo/YouTube 11 of 31Joaquín Guzmán has been known to get into flame wars via Twitter, including one with Donald Trump. In 2015, Guzmán told him, “I’m going to make you eat your words.“Wikimedia Commons 12 of 31An attempt was made on El Chapo’s life in 1993 when assassins fired rounds into a car they believed to be his at a Guadalajara airport. Seven people were killed — but El Chapo wasn’t even in the car. AFP/AFP/Getty Images 13 of 31El Chapo built a large home for his mother, Consuelo Loera, with his earnings. PBS/YouTube 14 of 31He’s become a pretty popular topic for songwriters. But instead of being condemned, his life has been romanticized in Narcocorrido ballads, a kind of folk music from Northern Mexico. Wikimedia Commons 15 of 31He’s been called the “Osama bin Laden of drug-trafficking” because of his ruthless methods and elusive ability to hide from law enforcement.Telemundo/YouTube 16 of 31As a free man, El Chapo would pick up the check for everybody whenever he went to restaurants. Patrons had no choice but to accept the offer — because they weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant until after he paid. Univision/YouTube 17 of 31In one of these reported incidents, El Chapo’s henchman was said to have entered a restaurant before him and announced: “Gentlemen, please. Give me a moment of your time. A man is going to come in, the boss. We ask that you remain in your seats; the doors will close and nobody is allowed to leave. You will also not be allowed to use your cellulars. Do not worry; if you do everything that is asked of you, nothing will happen. Continue eating and don’t ask for your check. The boss will pay.“STR/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 31During Joaquín Guzmán’s stint in a Mexican prison from 1993 to 2001, he had drugs, alcohol, and sex workers brought in to keep himself occupied.CBS/YouTube 19 of 31The method of Joaquín Guzmán’s first prison escape has been debated, with some saying that he was wheeled out in a laundry cart. Wikimedia Commons 20 of 31The Guzmán-led Sinaloa Cartel was a prime target of the U.S. ATF strategy “Operation Fast and Furious,” which used the selling of automatic weapons to track drug kingpins.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 31At the time of his most recent arrest, the bounty on him was listed at $5 million by the United States government. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 22 of 31Many of El Chapo’s relatives — including his son, brother, and nephew — have worked alongside him in the drug trade, and have been murdered by his rivals.YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images 23 of 31El Chapo has been credited with creating at least 62 smuggling tunnels that police have located between the United States and Mexico. Manuel Velasquez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 24 of 31Actor Sean Penn was credited with landing the first interview with El Chapo in an article that was later published by Rolling Stone. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 25 of 31Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, which took place deep in the jungle, was credited with helping lead authorities to the drug lord. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images 26 of 31Joaquín Guzmán was married four times and was known to still be in contact with his first wife up until the point of his most recent arrest. Telemundo/YouTube 27 of 31During his most recent arrest, he was peacefully taken into custody while making breakfast for his wife and two daughters in a small apartment. HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images 28 of 31Joaquín Guzmán never had a shortage of people coming to see him in prison. Lawyers, family members, and associates regularly came to visit, totaling 500 visitations. Wikimedia Commons 29 of 31His birthday is somewhat of a mystery. Official documents have his birthday listed as both December 25, 1954 and April 4, 1957.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 30 of 31He’s portrayed as a folk hero in some parts of Mexico, with his image being made into shirts, statues, and even Halloween masks. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 31 of 31Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
Meet Amado Carrillo Fuentes, The Powerful Mexican Drug Trafficker Who Became The ‘Lord Of The Skies’
El Chapo House That Once Contained A Secret Passageway Under The Bathtub Is Raffled Off By Mexican National Lottery
Crime Sometimes Pays: Inside The Home Of A Mexican Drug Lord
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1 of 31Because Joaquín Guzmán grew up poor in a rural area, he began selling marijuana in elementary school. By age 15, he was his family’s primary breadwinner. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 2 of 31He was first recognized on Forbes’ list of billionaires in 2009. At the time, his cartel was responsible for supplying nearly half of America’s drugs. Flickr 3 of 31Because the Sinaloa Cartel transported more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine into Chicago each month, Guzmán was the first criminal to be named “Public Enemy No. 1” in the city since Al Capone. Wikimedia Commons 4 of 31His most recent wife was American-born beauty queen Emma Coronel. They first met during her 17th birthday party because her father was one of Guzmán’s cartel officers. Telemundo/YouTube 5 of 31He ordered his wife to travel to the U.S. to give birth so that he would have “anchor babies” and a new secure foothold in the country.Telemundo/YouTube 6 of 31Authorities tried to stop his wife from entering the U.S. to give birth, but had no formal charges that they could file. So, she succeeded in giving birth inside the U.S. but left the father’s name blank on the birth certificate.Univision/YouTube 7 of 31Guzmán’s drug empire eventually grew to a massive size with operations linking five continents. DEA 8 of 31Joaquín Guzmán had a lover in prison who was a former police officer. Zulema Hernandez was in prison for aiding drug traffickers and developed a romance with Guzmán. She was later murdered after her release from prison. Mexico National Security Commission 9 of 31El Chapo’s first prison break involved up to 78 accomplices and bribes totaling around $2.5 million. Manuel Velasquez/LatinContent/Getty Images 10 of 31His second prison break involved using a motorcycle to journey through an escape tunnel. Telemundo/YouTube 11 of 31Joaquín Guzmán has been known to get into flame wars via Twitter, including one with Donald Trump. In 2015, Guzmán told him, “I’m going to make you eat your words.“Wikimedia Commons 12 of 31An attempt was made on El Chapo’s life in 1993 when assassins fired rounds into a car they believed to be his at a Guadalajara airport. Seven people were killed — but El Chapo wasn’t even in the car. AFP/AFP/Getty Images 13 of 31El Chapo built a large home for his mother, Consuelo Loera, with his earnings. PBS/YouTube 14 of 31He’s become a pretty popular topic for songwriters. But instead of being condemned, his life has been romanticized in Narcocorrido ballads, a kind of folk music from Northern Mexico. Wikimedia Commons 15 of 31He’s been called the “Osama bin Laden of drug-trafficking” because of his ruthless methods and elusive ability to hide from law enforcement.Telemundo/YouTube 16 of 31As a free man, El Chapo would pick up the check for everybody whenever he went to restaurants. Patrons had no choice but to accept the offer — because they weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant until after he paid. Univision/YouTube 17 of 31In one of these reported incidents, El Chapo’s henchman was said to have entered a restaurant before him and announced: “Gentlemen, please. Give me a moment of your time. A man is going to come in, the boss. We ask that you remain in your seats; the doors will close and nobody is allowed to leave. You will also not be allowed to use your cellulars. Do not worry; if you do everything that is asked of you, nothing will happen. Continue eating and don’t ask for your check. The boss will pay.“STR/AFP/Getty Images 18 of 31During Joaquín Guzmán’s stint in a Mexican prison from 1993 to 2001, he had drugs, alcohol, and sex workers brought in to keep himself occupied.CBS/YouTube 19 of 31The method of Joaquín Guzmán’s first prison escape has been debated, with some saying that he was wheeled out in a laundry cart. Wikimedia Commons 20 of 31The Guzmán-led Sinaloa Cartel was a prime target of the U.S. ATF strategy “Operation Fast and Furious,” which used the selling of automatic weapons to track drug kingpins.Wikimedia Commons 21 of 31At the time of his most recent arrest, the bounty on him was listed at $5 million by the United States government. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 22 of 31Many of El Chapo’s relatives — including his son, brother, and nephew — have worked alongside him in the drug trade, and have been murdered by his rivals.YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images 23 of 31El Chapo has been credited with creating at least 62 smuggling tunnels that police have located between the United States and Mexico. Manuel Velasquez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 24 of 31Actor Sean Penn was credited with landing the first interview with El Chapo in an article that was later published by Rolling Stone. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 25 of 31Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, which took place deep in the jungle, was credited with helping lead authorities to the drug lord. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images 26 of 31Joaquín Guzmán was married four times and was known to still be in contact with his first wife up until the point of his most recent arrest. Telemundo/YouTube 27 of 31During his most recent arrest, he was peacefully taken into custody while making breakfast for his wife and two daughters in a small apartment. HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images 28 of 31Joaquín Guzmán never had a shortage of people coming to see him in prison. Lawyers, family members, and associates regularly came to visit, totaling 500 visitations. Wikimedia Commons 29 of 31His birthday is somewhat of a mystery. Official documents have his birthday listed as both December 25, 1954 and April 4, 1957.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 30 of 31He’s portrayed as a folk hero in some parts of Mexico, with his image being made into shirts, statues, and even Halloween masks. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images 31 of 31Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
1 of 31Because Joaquín Guzmán grew up poor in a rural area, he began selling marijuana in elementary school. By age 15, he was his family’s primary breadwinner. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
2 of 31He was first recognized on Forbes’ list of billionaires in 2009. At the time, his cartel was responsible for supplying nearly half of America’s drugs. Flickr
3 of 31Because the Sinaloa Cartel transported more than 4,000 pounds of cocaine into Chicago each month, Guzmán was the first criminal to be named “Public Enemy No. 1” in the city since Al Capone. Wikimedia Commons
4 of 31His most recent wife was American-born beauty queen Emma Coronel. They first met during her 17th birthday party because her father was one of Guzmán’s cartel officers. Telemundo/YouTube
5 of 31He ordered his wife to travel to the U.S. to give birth so that he would have “anchor babies” and a new secure foothold in the country.Telemundo/YouTube
6 of 31Authorities tried to stop his wife from entering the U.S. to give birth, but had no formal charges that they could file. So, she succeeded in giving birth inside the U.S. but left the father’s name blank on the birth certificate.Univision/YouTube
7 of 31Guzmán’s drug empire eventually grew to a massive size with operations linking five continents. DEA
8 of 31Joaquín Guzmán had a lover in prison who was a former police officer. Zulema Hernandez was in prison for aiding drug traffickers and developed a romance with Guzmán. She was later murdered after her release from prison. Mexico National Security Commission
9 of 31El Chapo’s first prison break involved up to 78 accomplices and bribes totaling around $2.5 million. Manuel Velasquez/LatinContent/Getty Images
10 of 31His second prison break involved using a motorcycle to journey through an escape tunnel. Telemundo/YouTube
11 of 31Joaquín Guzmán has been known to get into flame wars via Twitter, including one with Donald Trump. In 2015, Guzmán told him, “I’m going to make you eat your words.“Wikimedia Commons
12 of 31An attempt was made on El Chapo’s life in 1993 when assassins fired rounds into a car they believed to be his at a Guadalajara airport. Seven people were killed — but El Chapo wasn’t even in the car. AFP/AFP/Getty Images
13 of 31El Chapo built a large home for his mother, Consuelo Loera, with his earnings. PBS/YouTube
14 of 31He’s become a pretty popular topic for songwriters. But instead of being condemned, his life has been romanticized in Narcocorrido ballads, a kind of folk music from Northern Mexico. Wikimedia Commons
15 of 31He’s been called the “Osama bin Laden of drug-trafficking” because of his ruthless methods and elusive ability to hide from law enforcement.Telemundo/YouTube
16 of 31As a free man, El Chapo would pick up the check for everybody whenever he went to restaurants. Patrons had no choice but to accept the offer — because they weren’t allowed to leave the restaurant until after he paid. Univision/YouTube
17 of 31In one of these reported incidents, El Chapo’s henchman was said to have entered a restaurant before him and announced: “Gentlemen, please. Give me a moment of your time. A man is going to come in, the boss. We ask that you remain in your seats; the doors will close and nobody is allowed to leave. You will also not be allowed to use your cellulars. Do not worry; if you do everything that is asked of you, nothing will happen. Continue eating and don’t ask for your check. The boss will pay.“STR/AFP/Getty Images
18 of 31During Joaquín Guzmán’s stint in a Mexican prison from 1993 to 2001, he had drugs, alcohol, and sex workers brought in to keep himself occupied.CBS/YouTube
19 of 31The method of Joaquín Guzmán’s first prison escape has been debated, with some saying that he was wheeled out in a laundry cart. Wikimedia Commons
20 of 31The Guzmán-led Sinaloa Cartel was a prime target of the U.S. ATF strategy “Operation Fast and Furious,” which used the selling of automatic weapons to track drug kingpins.Wikimedia Commons
21 of 31At the time of his most recent arrest, the bounty on him was listed at $5 million by the United States government. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
22 of 31Many of El Chapo’s relatives — including his son, brother, and nephew — have worked alongside him in the drug trade, and have been murdered by his rivals.YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images
23 of 31El Chapo has been credited with creating at least 62 smuggling tunnels that police have located between the United States and Mexico. Manuel Velasquez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
24 of 31Actor Sean Penn was credited with landing the first interview with El Chapo in an article that was later published by Rolling Stone. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
25 of 31Sean Penn’s interview with El Chapo, which took place deep in the jungle, was credited with helping lead authorities to the drug lord. RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images
26 of 31Joaquín Guzmán was married four times and was known to still be in contact with his first wife up until the point of his most recent arrest. Telemundo/YouTube
27 of 31During his most recent arrest, he was peacefully taken into custody while making breakfast for his wife and two daughters in a small apartment. HECTOR GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images
28 of 31Joaquín Guzmán never had a shortage of people coming to see him in prison. Lawyers, family members, and associates regularly came to visit, totaling 500 visitations. Wikimedia Commons
29 of 31His birthday is somewhat of a mystery. Official documents have his birthday listed as both December 25, 1954 and April 4, 1957.ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
30 of 31He’s portrayed as a folk hero in some parts of Mexico, with his image being made into shirts, statues, and even Halloween masks. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
31 of 31Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History View Gallery
30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History View Gallery
30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History View Gallery
30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History View Gallery
30 Absurd Facts About El Chapo, The Most Feared Drug Lord In Mexican History
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It would all be extremely hard to believe if there wasn’t hard evidence to back it up. But the fact is that Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s life has been far from ordinary, even by drug lord standards.
Nicknamed “El Chapo” (“Shorty” in Spanish) for his 5'6” frame, Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera began his journey to the top of the drug world in his early teens as a successful marijuana dealer in the 1970s.
He eventually moved up to cocaine dealing in western Mexico under the guidance of drug kingpin Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo. It was after Gallardo’s capture in the 1980s that Guzmán truly stepped up to the big leagues of international drug trafficking and expanded the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
Before long, Guzmán was making a name for himself as one of the country’s most powerful drug traffickers — and putting himself on the radar of both Mexican and U.S. law enforcement agencies in the process.
Soon, Guzmán would spend eight years in prison during the 1990s before escaping in 2001. But even when he was behind bars, his cartel continued to grow in power. In the decade following his escape, he rose to the level of infamy of historic kingpins like Pablo Escobar. And at one point, he was responsible for trafficking nearly a quarter of the world’s illegal drugs.
But he fell from that perch after being captured by police in 2014. Though he managed to escape again, he was soon recaptured in 2016. From that point onward, he has remained in custody in the United States.
However, even though Joaquín Guzmán has now been caught, his shocking and disturbing legacy will probably never fade away. Discover the most unbelievable facts about his life in the gallery above.
After looking through these facts about Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, learn about Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, the new leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. Then, check out these shocking narco Instagram photos.
