Documentary reveals details of El Chapo's capture and CIA involvement

The new documentary series ‘Operación Cisne Negro’, released on the ViX streaming platform, reconstructs the events surrounding the escape and eventual recapture of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. The two-part production by N+ Docs details his July 2015 escape from the Altiplano prison and the subsequent intelligence operations that led to his arrest in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, on January 8, 2016.

The documentary alleges that a meeting between Guzmán, actor Sean Penn, and Kate del Castillo in October 2015 significantly delayed his capture. According to testimonies from Mexican intelligence personnel cited in the film, the CIA reportedly hindered operations for approximately three months to avoid endangering the American citizens involved. This delay extended the period Guzmán remained at large from an estimated three months to six months, despite intense pressure from the administration of then-President Enrique Peña Nieto.