The interview with the wife of El Chapo

Lucio R. Borderland Beat

El Chapo's "Queen"

Emma Coronel, 26 year old wife of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel leader, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, wrote a letter to Telemundo, reaching out because of concerns she says she has of the life of her husband.  That letter culminated in an in person interview, that was televised on Telemundo tonight.

The sit down meeting transpired in a restaurant.  

Coronel appeared composed, soft-spoken and seemingly forthcoming, except when the interview swayed into the area of drugs and weapons, both of which she claims to have never seen her husband around.  She claims to know nothing about the business her husband is accused of pursuing.  But it is the way she answers the question, that will bring a smile to many viewers, tilting her head  halfway to her shoulder, and saying no,  like being caught with a hand in the cookie jar.  What was she supposed to say?  A journalist would be remiss by not asking those questions, and Coronel would be harming her husband by saying anything other than “no”.

How the couple met was explained in the BB post of yesterday, it was at a dance in Canales, a town in the state where she grew up, Durango.  It was not love at first sight she says.  Their wedding was small, with a few family and friends, all from her side, no one from Chapo’s side attended.

She says, the man she loves, is attentive, respectful, loving, and despite rumors to the contrary, he would never harm a woman, or force her into something she did not want to do.

 “He is not violent, and he is not rude, I have never heard him say a vulgar word or lose his temper.”

“He is very  intelligent, although he lacks formal education”. 

Coronel added to Sinaloa chart (click image to enlarge)

Coronel’s mother, gave birth to her in San Francisco, she says her father, Ines Coronel Barreras was a bean farmer.  Her father sits in prison with her brother; both charged with drug trafficking for the Sinaloa Cartel, she says they are “innocent”.

The United States named Ines Coronel as a kingpin, thereby enabling the U.S. to freeze any assets.

Emma says she was not related to Nacho

She was asked about Ignacio “Nacho” Coronel Villarreal, one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, gunned down on July 29, 2010, in Zapopan,  thought to be her uncle, she denied  any relationship with him.

About Forbes magazine naming her husband as one of the world’s most wealthy persons, she says they have never lived a luxury life, she claims Chapo once said “Where is this money?  Do they know? Because I don’t know where it is”.

Kate Castillo and Sean Penn

Chapo wanted to make a film of his life, she says  “to tell the truth of his story, how exactly things happened in his life, his story told by him”.

When he decided to make the film, he reached out to actress Kate Castillo. 

Sean Penn told Castillo that he would like to interview El Chapo.  Castillo was the middleman for Penn in his meet with Chapo, and the subsequent interview video.  Penn wrote the piece for Rolling Stone magazine. 

It was the publishing of the video that incensed both Coronel and her husband.  In the video, Chapo states he has been in the drug business since the age of 15, and it was poverty and lack of opportunities that compelled him to do so.

Although the video was published by Penn in Rolling Stone, the copyright is held by Castillo’s film company.  Last week Castillo stated she is going ahead with the El Chapo film.

Chapo’s wife says what occurred was a betrayal.  She contends her husband had no knowledge the video would be made public.  He thought it was to assist in the writing of the article.

When asked if she was jealous of Castillo, she answered no, saying that there was nothing to be jealous about.

The arrest in Mazatlán

In 2014, she says early in the morning about 6 AM, they heard sounds as though they door was being knocked down.  When the Marina entered the room with guns drawn,  they asked “Where is Chapo?”  She claims Chapo appeared from the bathroom saying, “I am here, calm down”.

Reports at the time said, Chapo was hiding behind the bathroom door when he was found.   Coronel says US agents were involved in the capture of the capo in Mazatlan and she was also arrested.

She says her twin daughters, María Joaquina and  Emali Guadalupe and a cook were also with them when the arrest took place.

After the arrest last month, she was allowed to visit him after 3 days, and for only 15 minutes.  “He was shackled and cuffed, guards never left us alone, they stayed inches away the entire time”.  They had weapons, and wore helmets with cameras.”

She was shook up when she left the prison, Chapo told her not to worry, that things would be ok.  But she says the treatment given to her husband has caused a decline in his health, including high blood pressure, something he never had before.  He is not allowed much sleep.

The woman El Chapo Guzman calls his “Reina” (queen), promises to follow her husband to the United States if he is extradited.

 “Wherever he goes, I will follow him, I am in love with him”