Emma Coronel's shameless debut on Cartel Crew

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat Op-Ed

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his is a sick and terrible decision by vh1 to have el Chapo’s wife Emma coronel on its 

reality show "cartel crew." there is a humanitarian catastrophe in México from cartel violence. This is not a glamorous reality show.

Where are images of mass graves?https://t.co/malguquiim

— Ioan Grillo (@ioangrillo) November 12, 2019

Emma Coronels “big” debut on VH1 TVs “Cartel Crew has come and gone.

As previously suspected her appearance was all about the Benjamins, a marketing ploy to promote the clothing line of her and her husbands, El Chapo Guzmán.  

I watched the episode.

The “drama” begins with two cartel crew’s cast members; one is Michel Blanco, the son of Colombian drug trafficker Griselda Blanco, on a boat bound for the much hyped meeting with the daughter of a convicted trafficker, and wife of  the world’s most famous living trafficker.

We first see Coronel as she awaits the duo while on a yacht, dressed in a white top, jeans and wearing sunglasses.  Two security personnel accompanied her who ceremoniously frisked the two guests when they went aboard.  

The sit down was disgusting, self-absorbed and clueless.

Coronel who is now referred to as a ‘designer’, rants about the same self-analysis as in previous interviews.  Touting how utterly “positive” of a person she is.  This after Blanco remarks how hard she has had it in the past year.

"I am positive and not to get locked into or dwell on  what has already happened." “It's happened and nothing can be done.”

Both Blanco and Coronel engage in self-pity at their treatment by the public with Coronel saying “They judge us without knowing us… it's hard because sometimes you want to do what you see everyone doing ".

Saying she is just a “normal” woman, “but as soon as they start attacking you, then you say: 'Well, I can't do this."

After a couple of introductory back and forth exchanges, Coronel digs right into the meat of the meeting, asking business advice from Michael.

He, after all, ventured into the clothing business. With all the other commonalities they have, of course she would seek him out.

His clothing line was inspired by his drug trafficking mother aka “The Cocaine Godmother”, Griselda Blanco.

So he says.

And Coronel was inspired by her husband, El Chapo, who will live for the remainder of his life in ADX Colorado.  He has always wanted a clothing line. 

So she says.

Blanco’s mother once had an estimated wealth of 2B. In 2012, the website Celebrity Net Worth came out with a list of “The 20 Richest Drug Dealers of All Time”, with Blanco coming in at #9, with an estimated net worth of $2 billion.

Michael’s worth is unknown.

I am in total agreement with Ioan Grillo and author Don Winslow who condemn VH1 for allowing this debacle to be glorified on American Television. 

It goes to demonstrate how ignorant they are of the horror caused by cartels in Mexico.  Or worse they simply do not care.

Coronel has been very lucky so far as to not be caught in the net of prosecutors.  Frankly, she may be  under investigation by prosecutors because of evidence that surfaced in the trial pointing to her culpability in trafficking. 

12 years ago--Age 18 prior to facial reconstructive surgery

Coronel is an American citizen.  As such she is to be taxed on worldwide income.   No matter where she resides.  In an interview to Univision, she claimed to have her own money.  When pressed, she said assets were given to her by her father, a convicted trafficker.

Dirty money.  Which is illegal. 

And most likely never taxed.

Coronel should not be the focus of blame if you are in the camp that is outraged, it could have never happened without VH1 providing the platform.

VH1 suffered a big backlash on social media calling on a boycott of the channel for their lack of sensitivity.

In the end, it was not a bad marketing move, because it will indeed promote the clothing line in the U.S. targeting those who are without concern what is happening in Mexico, at a time when narco related crimes and murders are at an all time high.