Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

By

Mexico: Del Castillo crying foul over Sean Penn

Once upon a time, in a land far, far, away where whores had hearts of gold and looked like pretty extras in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, pimps were equal opportunity employers hiring girl bookkeepers, and smugglers had integrity and mourned their dead human cargo, a beautiful, downtrodden, tequila-drinking, spunky, athletic girl who could throw a punch rose to the top of the illegal drug trade, and retired to pregnancy, riches, safety and anonymity after avenging her husband’s death . . . the beloved husband being a pilot who was killed for stealing and reselling drugs that belonged to the Sinaloa Cartel.

It sounds like the intro to Andrew Klavan‘s podcast, but it’s not: It is the plot of the hugely successful Mexican-Spanish soap opera La Reina del Sur, a cliffhanger Telemundo TV series based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s thriller of the same name.

Make no mistake: Del Castillo’s character glamorizes crime to the point of making it a viable (albeit risky) career choice.

As we know by now, Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman – whose family has registered several trademarks with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property for licensing purposes – is an avid fan of both the drug trade-glamorizing series and its star, Kate del Castillo.

El Chapo knows good PR when he sees it.

Joaquin and Kate tweeted each other, expressed mutual admiration, and agreed to meet and discuss a tequila distributorship.

Joaquin let it be known he wanted a movie about his life. Kate del Castillo, Sean Penn,

Spaniard José Ibáñez-Martín Pira and Argentinean Fernando Sulichin traveled to El Chapo’s hideout in the mountains of Durango state with the two stars to discuss the possibility of filming the drug lord’s story.

Things were moving right along, until Sean’s article came out in Rolling Stone. Now the authorities in two countries want to question her, and she feels “betrayed” by Sean Penn after meeting with ‘El Chapo’ (emphasis added)

Now facing an arrest warrant by Mexican prosecutors who want to question her about her relationship with El Chapo, Del Castillo says she “feels betrayed and used” by Penn, according to her lawyer.

Penn’s photograph standing next to the world’s most powerful drug lord made headlines around the globe, as well as his Rolling Stone article and the short video included with it in which El Chapo answers several questions asked by one of his aides.

But while Mexican authorities have said they will not investigate Penn, they insist on questioning Del Castillo for alleged money laundering and trying to set up a tequila business with Guzmán before he was captured on January 8.

Of course, del Castillo’s lawyer vehemently denies any relationship between her and el Chapo. She would rather be questioned in the U.S. and not in Mexico, just in case.

But fear not, Del Castillo’s lawyer says the biopic about Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is going ahead.

Share

By

Kevin Williamson on Russell Brand’s Che fixation

Having dissed his ex-wife and come out of his latest stint at rehab, Russell Brand is craving for attention, hence this:

Yes, that’s his Twitter icon: a full display of cluelessness replete with the “coexist” symbol necklace, carefully arranged hair, Commie-red background, and Che pose. Only a dove of peace is missing to complete the cliches.

Really.

Kevin Williamson looks at one who wants the world to know that beneath the clown makeup is the face of a Serious Man, that Russell,

Mr. Brand is fond of having himself depicted as Guevara, a figure for whom he shares the daft enthusiasm of many members of his generation. He frets that Guevara was “a bit of a homophobe,” but insists that “we need only glance at Che to know that that is what a leader should look like,” i.e., a bit like Russell Brand. Guevara was a mass murderer who shot people for amusement. The cause in which he fought was the cause of gulags and murder. There are today, at this moment, thousands of political prisoners being tortured in prisons that Guevara helped to establish, and millions foundering in the totalitarian police state he helped to found off the coast of Florida. But . . . sure, great hair.

Great hair only on photos; according to many who knew him, Che was not fond of shampooing, so Russell better not imitate the head lice.

But I wonder if, like Che, Russell wears a Rolex?

Share

By

Because nothing sells cell phones like Che

Richard Branson is flogging Virgin cellphones on the streets of Paris wearing a Che outfit,

It’s not clear if Branson went for 100% authenticity and didn’t shower or bathe for a few weeks prior to the stint, but Marc Masferrer is not amused.

Rather than disguise himself as a mass-murdering sociopath communist, next time Richard ought to try something more fitting to his personality,

Certainly le tout Paris will be impressed by his fashion sense.

Share

By

Mexico: Iron Man? No, Peatónito!


Nice abs, too.

Standing for truth, pedestrians, and the Mexican way, at the intersection where wrestling meets traffic.

Take a look,

A Very Pedestrian Superhero Grapples With Mexico City Traffic
Peatónito, Walkers’ Masked Champion, Leads a Double Life; Has Paint, Will Travel

There is no one more neglected than Mexico City’s walkers, says Peatónito.

“The pedestrian is nobody in this city, he has been forgotten by authorities and our own citizenry,” Peatónito says. “The curious and paradoxical thing is that we are all pedestrians at some moment. As such, we have forgotten ourselves.”

The guy has his work cut out for him. Follow him on Twitter,

Hierarchy >> Pedestrians, especially vulnerable people; cyclists; public transport riders, cargo vehicles and automobiles.

Share