Sean Penn Admits Regrets With 'El Chapo' Interview, Accused of Lying in Rolling Stone Profile
Sean Penn admits he indeed has regrets about the Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman profile he penned for Rolling Stone as attorneys for the recently recaptured drug lord accuse him of fabricating in the piece.
The Academy Award-winning actor tells CBS' Charlie Rose of "60 Minutes," "I have a regret that the entire discussion about this article ignores its purpose, which was to try to contribute to this discussion about the policy in the War on Drugs."
Penn went on to term the prevalent rumor that he and Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, who helped facilitate the interview, led the Mexican government to Guzman whereabouts as simply unfounded. The 43-year-old del Castillo has a history of starring in films about crime bosses, and she herself once played the role of a drug kingpin.
"There is this myth about the visit that we made, my colleagues and I with El Chapo, that it was -- as the Attorney General of Mexico is quoted -- 'essential' to his capture," he said. "We had met with him many weeks earlier...on October 2nd, in a place nowhere near where he was captured."
Penn added he's convinced the Mexican government leaked the information in part because they wanted to see him blamed for the capture as he largely has been, and to perhaps encourage Guzman and his henchmen to place him on their hit list.
As it is, attorneys for Guzman have now accused Penn of lying in the Rolling Stone article, even though it was reported the reputed drug lord had "story approval" over the piece before it was actually published.
TMZ reports Guzman's attorney, Juan Pablo Badillo, insists not only did Penn fabricate in reporting Guzman proudly claimed he is the "world's premiere drug trafficker." Badillo said that Penn will likely be required to appear in El Chapo's trial to testify about it.
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